MEDFORD, Mass. -- The No. 10 nationally ranked Bates field hockey team couldn't find the back of the cage in 2-0 loss to No. 7 Tufts Saturday afternoon in NESCAC action.
Tufts (9-3, 6-1 NESCAC)Â had the upper hand in the first quarter, which finished 5-0 in shots and 3-0 in corners in favor of the Jumbos. After getting just one shot on goal for their three corners, Andrea DelGiudice made a nice play to intercept a Bates clearing attempt at the top of the circle. She then sent an aerial shot into the left side of the Bobcat cage for a 1-0 Tufts lead with 2:06 remaining in the first.
The Jumbos continued to control play in the second period until the Bobcats (7-4, 4-3 NESCAC)Â came to life late in the half earning a pair of corners. Tufts defended well, and the game went to halftime with the hosts leading 1-0.
Bates adjusted well at the half and came out strong for the third, earning a 6-0 shots advantage and 2-0 on corners for those 15 minutes. During the stretch of Bobcat pressure, Tufts goalie Lydia Eastburn made saves on back-to-back attempts by juniors
Anna Lindeis (New Canaan, Conn.) and
Anna Cote (Auburn, Maine) six minutes into the frame.
Tufts would squash the visitors' momentum with Claire Gavin's goal two minutes into the fourth quarter. Kylie Rosenquest won a ball outside the 23-meter line and brought it to the top edge of the circle. There she sent a pass to Gavin close by whose first shot was blocked, but she sent the next one bouncing past the Bates keeper for a 2-0 Tufts margin.
Bates would earn two corners in the fourth, but could not get a shot on Eastburn, who picked up the shutout. She finished with three saves and sophomore
Kaili Jacobsen (Fairfield, Conn.) had six at the other end for Bates.
The Jumbos tallied 13 shots to Bates' 11. It was an 8-3 edge in shots on goal for the Jumbos. Bates had a 7-6 edge in corners, holding Tufts from earning a corner in the second half.
The Bobcats are back in action Sunday when they visit Vermont State University Castleton for a 12pm contest.
