MIDDLETOWN, Conn. -- The Bates football team hung with NESCAC favorite Wesleyan for a half on Saturday before the host Cardinals pulled away to defeat the Bobcats 41-10 in the season opener for both teams.

Bates (0-1) got the ball first and appeared to be in business when senior quarterback Liam Foley (Foxborough, Mass.) connected with senior wide receiver Mohamed Diawara (Philadelphia, Pa.) for a gain of 73 yards. Diawara got the ball along the sideline and shook off his defender, sprinting away from the Cardinal defense. He lost his footing at the last minute, diving to the three-yard line. Unfortunately, the Bobcats could not punch it in from there and turned it over on a fourth down rush that resulted in a fumble recovery for the hosts. 

The Cardinals (1-0) took the momentum from their defensive stand and used it to march 81 yards in 14 plays. They took more than seven minutes off the clock before Daniel Yoon connected on a 30-yard field goal, putting the Cardinals up 3-0 with 4:51 left in the first quarter.

The teams traded punts for the remainder of the first quarter and Bates trailed 3-0 after one.

Wesleyan went on another extended drive to start the second quarter, going 84 yards in nine plays. Quarterback David Estevez connected with Logan Tomlinson for a 30-yard touchdown, as Tomlinson high-pointed the ball in the middle of the end zone for six. Yoon's extra point made the score 10-0 in favor of the Cardinals with 10:21 to go in the half.

But the Bobcats responded on offense. Diawara returned the ensuing kick-off 28 yards to the Bates 40. Senior running back Reza Badiee (La Jolla, Calif.) ripped off a run of 20 yards to start the drive, getting the ball to the Wesleyan 40. Then Foley found senior receiver Jackson Hayes (San Marino, Calif.) for 11 yards to the Wesleyan 29. The Bobcats converted another first down thanks to a diving seven-yard catch by junior tight end Steven Guerrette (Bow, N.H.), which got the ball to the Cardinal 18. Bates got the ball to the 13 before the drive stalled and junior kicker Archie Green Jr. (Upland, Calif.) kicked a 30-yard field goal, cutting the Cardinal lead to 10-3 with 6:19 left in the second quarter.

The Cardinals matriculated the ball down the field on their next drive, starting at their own 20 before the Bobcats forced a 45-yard field goal attempt. Yoon showed off an impressive leg, drilling the long field goal and extending the Wesleyan lead to 13-3. 

Down by 10 at halftime, the Bobcats appeared on the brink of a rally after Wesleyan fumbled the ball away on the opening drive of the third quarter. Senior linebacker Thomas Formus (Ridgefield, Conn.) jarred the ball loose from Wesleyan running back Owen Brickley and sophomore Matthew Juneau (Wakefield, Mass.) recovered it for the Bobcats at the Wesleyan 16.

But on third and eight, Foley's pass was intercepted in the back corner of the end zone by Danny Banks, preserving the 13-3 edge for Wesleyan.

The Bobcats forced a punt, but another turnover turned out much worse for the visitors. Nick Helbig sacked Foley on first down and jarred the ball loose. Pat Boujoukos recovered at the Bates 14 and Wesleyan had an instant red zone opportunity. 

The hosts made the most of it, with Estevez finding Tomlinson for a nine-yard touchdown pass. Yoon's extra point extended the Cardinal lead to 20-3 with 10:10 left in the third quarter. Estevez threw another touchdown later in the third quarter as the Cardinals pulled away from the Bobcats.

An Ashton Scott touchdown pass to Ezra Jenife put Wesleyan up 34-3 early in the fourth quarter.

The Bobcats tallied their first touchdown of the season on the ensuing drive. Starting at their own 24 after a 22-yard kick return from Diawara, the Bobcats kept the ball on the ground with rushes from Badiee and senior Jack Bryant (Falmouth, Maine). A Foley rush got the Bobcats to the Wesleyan 35 and two Badiee rushes later, Foley connected with Hayes down the far sideline for a 28-yard touchdown pass. It's the first touchdown pass of Foley's collegiate career. 

A Kellan Walker 33-yard touchdown run with 1:54 left in regulation capped off the scoring for Wesleyan. 

Estevez completed 15-20 passes for 181 passes and three touchdowns on the afternoon for the Cardinals. Foley completed 10-21 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown for the Bobcats. He was sacked three times. 

Badiee carried the ball 23 times for a game-high 83 yards. Walker led a host of Wesleyan backs with six carries for 44 yards and a touchdown.

Diawara caught a pair of passes for a game-high 80 yards. Hayes finished with two catches for 39 yards and a touchdown. Tomlinson had four catches for 50 yards and two touchdowns for Wesleyan. 

Senior captain Tony Hooks (New Rochelle, N.Y.) had a big day for the Bobcats, tallying a game-high 11 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss and a half sack. Senior Mohamed Coulibaly (Philadelphai, Pa.) broke up three passes and tallied 10 total tackles. Junior George Hawkins III (Jacksonville, Fla.) added 10 tackles, including a tackle for loss.

Helbig was a one-man wrecking crew for Wesleyan with three sacks and two forced fumbles.

The Bobcats are back in action next Saturday when they host Tufts at 1:30pm.