LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates field hockey team scored a pair of goals in the first quarter and held on from there to upend No. 6 nationally ranked Bowdoin by a score of 2-1 Saturday morning at Campus Avenue Field. 

This marks the first time since 1984 the Bobcats (2-0, 1-0 NESCAC) have defeated the Polar Bears (1-1, 0-1 NESCAC) in field hockey.

Bates dominated the first quarter of action, tallying 10 shots in the first 15 minutes. In the 10th minute, sophomore Maria Femia (Canton, Mass.) weaved through the Polar Bear defense after receiving the ball near midfield. She fired a shot from the right side of the cage and it deflected off the charging Bowdoin keeper and into the net for her second goal of the young season. 

"It was a great team effort building to that goal," Femia said. "I credit the defense and the midfielders for getting me the ball so I could attack and score. Overall, this win means a lot, it shows how the work we put in this spring is paying off and we can't wait to keep it going the rest of the season!" 

The Bobcats weren't done. Just one minute later, they earned a penalty corner and junior captain Paige Cote (Auburn, Maine) ripped a shot on goal from the top of the circle. Cote's sister sophomore Anna Cote (Auburn, Maine) was there to tip the ball into the cage for the insurance tally. It marks the younger Cote's first goal of the season and her older sister's first assist of the year. 

The Polar Bears did not record a shot nor did they record a penalty corner in the first quarter. Meanwhile, Bates tallied five penalty corners in the first quarter and four more in the second quarter. 

Bowdoin settled down on defense and the two teams battled it out for the remainder of the contest. The Polar Bears only recorded one shot in the fourth quarter of action but they made it count when rookie Andrea DiTeodoro deflected in a shot from Georgie Coetzer off a penalty corner in the 49th minute.

Bates nearly added to the 2-1 edge in the 59th minute but Femia's shot was denied by Bowdoin keeper Julia Arsenault, who made a fine diving stop for one of her four saves on the day. 

First-year Kaili Jacobsen (Fairfield, Conn.) made her second straight start in goal for the Bobcats and recorded one save in 60 minutes to earn her second straight win. 

Overall, the Bobcats tallied 16 shots, with six on goal. They held Bowdoin to six shots, with two on goal. Bates finished with 11 penalty corners to Bowdoin's four. 

Bates is back in action Sunday at 11am for a home contest against Denison.