LEWISTON, Maine -- Junior goalkeeper Cammie Lavoie recorded a career-high 16 saves and the Bates women's lacrosse team held off a late rally from No. 12 nationally ranked Hamilton to prevail 13-12 in NESCAC action Saturday afternoon. 

The Bobcats (3-7, 1-6 NESCAC) earned their first NESCAC win of the season in dramatic fashion, getting a key defensive stop as time expired to defeat the Continentals (5-2, 3-2 NESCAC) for the third time in their last five tries. 

With under two seconds remaining in regulation and Bates up one, the Continentals got a free position opportunity. First-year Emily Mueller (Alexandria, Va.) got her stick in the way of Olivia Seymour's attempt for Hamilton, forcing the shot to go high and securing the win for the Bobcats. 

A balanced effort on offense helped the Bobcats upend the Continentals. Eight different players found the back of the net for Bates. Senior captain Dana Swartz (North Andover, Mass.) led the way with three goals and one assist. First-year Trish Balser (Ponte Vedra, Fla.) tallied two goals, one assist, three ground balls, and a caused turnover. Fellow first-year Caroline Taggart (Concord, Mass.) added a pair of goals and senior Jordyn Tveter (Topsfield, Mass.) had a big day with two goals, a team-high four caused turnovers, and a team-high six draw controls. 

Hamilton briefly held a 2-1 lead but the Bobcats tied it when sophomore Sadie O'Neil (Concord, Mass.) found Balser for the latter's first goal of the contest, knotting the score at two with 2:22 left in the first quarter. Then with 18 seconds remaining in the quarter, Taggart took advantage of a player-up opportunity on an assist from sophomore Maddy Roelofs (Rye, N.H.) and the Bobcats grabbed the lead for good. 

Bates dominated the second quarter of action, out-scoring Hamilton 4-1 and taking a 7-3 lead into halftime. The half ended on a rather bizarre goal from Taggart. Senior Kate Loughlin (York, Maine) found Taggart with a second remaining and she flung the ball in the general direction of the net as the horn sounded from about 20 feet away. The ball went off the stick of Hamilton's keeper and into the net for Taggart's second goal of the contest.

Seymour and Alana King trimmed the Bates lead to 7-5 by scoring the first two goals of the third quarter for the visitors. But the Bobcats answered with four straight goals to end the quarter, with Swartz scoring a pair and Tveter and Roelofs adding one each, putting the Bobcats up 11-5 through three.

The teams traded goals to start the fourth quarter and Bates led 13-7 after O'Neil's tally with 9:11 remaining in regulation.

Then the Bobcats had to hold on for dear life. The Continentals held Bates scoreless for the remainder of the contest, going on a 5-0 run to end the game. 

Seymour scored three of her game-high five goals during the run. But the Bobcats stopped her when it mattered the most.

Lavoie (Epping, N.H.) added three ground balls to go along with her 16 saves. Hamilton out-shot Bates 38-23 but Lavoie stood strong for the Bobcats in goal. 

Bates is back in action Wednesday at 7pm when the Bobcats visit Tufts.