LEWISTON, Maine -- The visiting No. 3 nationally ranked Middlebury Panthers scored eight goals in the first quarter and never looked back, defeating the Bates women's lacrosse team 17-6 Saturday afternoon at Garcelon Field. 

With the game tied at one, Susan Rowley scored the first of her game-high four goals for the Panthers, putting Middlebury (7-0, 4-0 NESCAC) ahead for good with 9:46 left in the first quarter on an assist from Jane Earley. 

Rowley's goal started a 7-0 run for the visitors until senior Kate Loughlin (York, Maine) broke it up with a goal on an assist from junior Chloe Robinson (North Salem, N.Y.) with 10:33 left in the second quarter.

But the Panthers answered with a 5-0 run and the Bobcats (2-5, 0-4 NESCAC) found themselves down 13-2 at the half.

Bates got off to a strong start in the third quarter, with first-year Caroline Taggart (Concord, Mass.) finding the back of the net on an assist from senior Jordyn Tveter (Topsfield, Mass.) and sophomore Maddy Roelofs (Rye, N.H.) found Loughlin for the latter's second goal of the afternoon.

Nine points is the closest the Bobcats got in the second half though, as the Panthers answered with another Rowley goal.

Senior captain Dana Swartz (North Andover, Mass.) matched Loughlin for the team-high on the day with her second goal of the afternoon on an assist from junior Sophie Scola (San Mateo, Calif.) with 4:27 left in the third. The Panthers scored the next three goals of the contest, going up 12 before Tveter scored late in the contest for the final margin of 17-6.

Junior Cammie Lavoie (Epping, N.H.) made nine saves for the Bobcats and recorded a team-high four ground balls. She also caused a turnover. 

Annie Enrietto made six saves in 45 minutes to earn the win for Middlebury.

The Bobcats are back in action next Saturday at Williams, with the opening draw at 12pm.