LEWISTON, Maine -- The No. 20 nationally ranked Bates field hockey team put on a show in a 7-1 victory over the University of Southern Maine Tuesday night at Campus Avenue Field, in the host Bobcats' first game in nearly two years.

Seniors Emily Gianunzio (Darien, Conn.) and Grace Hoehl (South Burlington, Vt.) scored two goals apiece for Bates (1-0), while first-year Anna Lindeis (New Canaan, Conn.) contributed a goal and an assist.

The visiting Huskies (1-1) took a 1-0 lead on the first shot of the game, three minutes into the first quarter, as Sage Drinkwater passed ahead to Brooke Carson, and Carson beat Bates junior goalkeeper Grace Biddle (State College, Pa.) to the ball several yards in front of the goal before knocking in the opening tally, Carson's second goal of the season and Drinkwater's first assist.

Bates evened the game less than two minutes later on the game's first penalty corner, with senior Riley Burns (Sterling, Mass.) inserting to sophomore Sarah Bussell (Mohegan Lake, N.Y.), who stopped the ball for Lindeis to fire a rocket past USM goalkeeper Julianna Kiklis.

The Bobcats cashed in for three goals in the second quarter to open up a 4-1 lead at the half. Gianunzio struck in the 24th minute, taking an entry pass from first-year Anna Cote (Auburn, Maine) and sliding a turnaround backhanded shot into the left side of the cage. 

Four minutes later, Bates took a 3-1 lead on the first career goal by Hoehl, a senior newcomer to the team, who tipped in a shot by Anna Cote headed for the left post.

Hoehl struck again 73 seconds later, 69 seconds before intermission. Kiklis kicked the ball away after an entry pass by  Bussell, but not far enough as Hoehl stopped the ball off the rebound and got her stick on the ball before Kiklis for the goal.

Gianunzio added her second goal with 6:54 left in the third quarter, taking a pass from sophomore Paige Cote (Auburn, Maine) with good position at the left post and pushing the ball past a pair of USM defenders.

First-year Maria Femia (Canton, Mass.) set up Bates' sixth goal, scored with 8:34 remaining, with a swift sweep up the left wing and a dish to sophomore Clare Moloney-Kolenberg (Winchester, Mass.).

Bates finished out the scoring with an unassisted tally by sophomore Ella Blum (South Salem, N.Y.). Kiklis deflected a ball by Bussell to Blum, who hit a turnaround shot from a tight angle for her first collegiate tally.

Bates outshot USM by a 28-4 margin in the game, and earned 12 penalty corners to the Huskies' one. Kiklis made six saves in net for USM, while Biddle made two saves in 45 minutes of action. Sophmore Emma Volkers (Bethesda, Md.) made her Bates debut in net for the final quarter and recorded no saves.

Bates will host Hamilton in its NESCAC opener Saturday at noon.