CASTLETON, Vt. -- Senior Ella Blum scored the game-winning goal in the 57th minute and the No. 10 nationally ranked Bates field hockey team won a 4-3 thriller over Vermont State Castleton Sunday afternoon. 

With the score tied at three, the Bobcats earned a penalty corner. Senior captain Molly Griffin (Holden, Mass.) delivered the insert to the top of the circle. The ball made its way to the stick of junior Maria Femia (Canton, Mass.) on the left wing. Femia fired a ball toward the goal, where it bounced around until it went into the air by the left post. Blum (South Salem, N.Y.) was there to guide it into the back of the cage for the eventual game-winning tally. 

It was the culmination of a big fourth quarter for the visiting Bobcats (8-4) as Bates scored three goals to rally from a 2-1 deficit. 

After a scoreless first quarter, the Bobcats struck first on Sunday. In the 19th minute, senior Lauren Salazar (Mohegan Lake, N.Y.) delivered a pass from 30 yards out that went untouched into the shooting area until senior Kami Lambert (Augusta, Maine) pounced on it, directing the ball into the lower right corner for her sixth goal of the season and Salazar's first assist of the year.

The Spartans (8-4) answered right away, tallying the equalizer in the 20th minute. Amelia Wilson connected with Theresa Culpo and the score stood tied at one.

With the game still even at halftime, the Spartans took the lead in the third quarter, taking advantage of a penalty corner. Wilson delivered the insert to Emily Harris, who ripped in her NCAA-leading 36th goal of the season to put the hosts up 2-1 in the 34th minute.

Trailing 2-1 through three, the Bobcats tied things up early in the fourth quarter. In the 47th minute, senior captain Sarah Bussell (Thompson's Station, Tenn.) split three defenders to get into the shooting area, firing a ball directly on goal that senior captain Paige Cote (Auburn, Maine) re-directed top shelf for the goal, her sixth of the year. It's Bussell's third assist of the season.

The Bobcats grabbed their second lead of the afternoon thanks to an unassisted tally from junior Anna Cote (Auburn, Maine) in the 53rd minute. Cote stepped just inside the circle on the left side and took a shot on goal. A Spartan got a stick on it but the ball deflected into the upper-right corner of the cage for Cote's sixth goal of the season and a 3-2 Bates lead. 

The one-goal edge didn't last long, as Harris tallied her second goal of the contest in the 54th minute, unassisted. 

But three minutes later, Blum scored the game-winner for the Bobcats, giving them their best start to a season since 2019. It marks Blum's third goal of the year and her first game-winning tally.

Bates out-shot the Spartans by a count of 23-8 in the contest, with 15 on goal to the hosts' six. Zoe Martin impressed in the cage for Vermont State, making 11 saves. 

The Bobcats return to NESCAC action this Saturday when they host Connecticut College at 12pm. Bates will celebrate Senior Day before the game.