BRUNSWICK, Maine -- Senior captain Owen Keleher headed in the game-winning goal in the 78th minute and the Bates men's soccer team defeated rival Bowdoin 1-0 in NESCAC action Tuesday afternoon.

"I am incredibly proud of the way our boys stuck together and competed," head coach Tyler Sheikh said. "When we compete together, we can beat anyone in the country." 

With the match scoreless, junior Bobby Dall (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) threw the ball in to the left wing and team captain Alec Szwarcewicz (Newton, Mass.) centered the ball into the box. It landed on the foot of sophomore Rawson Welch (Denver, Colo.) and he passed it back to Dall on the wing.

Dall delivered a perfect cross to the far side of the goal where Keleher (Corrales, N.M.) was waiting. Keleher out-jumped his defender and headed the ball top shelf into the right side of the net for his team-leading fifth goal of the season. Dall is now tied for the team lead in assists with two. 

First-year goalkeeper Bruce David (Pittsburgh, Pa.) earned the win in his first collegiate start for the Bobcats (5-2, 2-1 NESCAC) between the pipes. He tallied eight saves on the afternoon, four of which came after Bates took the 1-0 lead.

Bowdoin (4-3, 1-3 NESCAC) outshot the Bobcats on the day, taking 19 shots with eight on goal. Bates finished with 11 shots, six on goal. The Polar Bears earned seven corner kicks to Bates' four.

Drake Byrd led the Polar Bears with eight shots, two on goal. First-year Tife Agunloye (Monroe, Conn.) paced the Bobcats with three shots, two on goal. First-year Simon Clarke (Redwood City, Calif.) tallied a pair of shots on goal. Keleher's only shot on goal found the back of the net.

Michael Webber made five saves for Bowdoin.

The win marks the first time Bates has defeated Bowdoin in men's soccer since 1999. During that time frame Bates earned six draws, including three in the previous five seasons, but no wins until Tuesday.

"This 'W' has been a long time coming for the program," Sheikh said. "We are always competitive with Bowdoin. They are a classy program. It was very fitting to have legendary Bates head coach George Purgavie, the last Bates men's soccer coach to beat Bowdoin, in attendance." 

Bates is back in action this Saturday when the Bobcats visit No. 4 nationally ranked Tufts. The match gets underway at 3pm.