LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates women's lacrosse team stayed within striking distance of No. 19 nationally ranked Trinity on Saturday before the Bantams pulled away in the fourth quarter to defeat the Bobcats 12-2 at Garcelon Field.

The Bobcats (2-3, 0-2 NESCAC) fell behind 2-0 in the first quarter before first-year Lauren Wong (Walpole, Mass.) got them on the board with 3:28 remaining on an assist from sophomore Trish Balser (Ponte Vedra, Fla), cutting the Bantam lead to 2-1. It marked Wong's fourth goal of the year and Balser's third assist.

Trinity (3-0, 2-0 NESCAC) led 2-1 after one, and slowly began to pull away in the second quarter, shutting out Bates in the period. Caroline Lampert, Lily Ives, and Molly McGuckin all found the back of the net for the Bantams, making the score 5-1 at halftime.

Casey Ward and McGuckin added goals in the third quarter, but Bates remained within striking distance at 7-1 headed into the fourth.

The low-scoring affair got away from Bates in the final 15 minutes, with Trinity scoring five goals. The Bobcats did get their second tally of the contest when sophomore Caroline Taggart (Concord, Mass.) found sophomore Annie Lowenstein (Yarmouth, Maine) for her second goal of the young season. Taggart and Balser are tied for the team-lead in assists with three apiece through five games. 

Lowenstein's goal ended an 8-0 run for the visitors and made the score 10-2 with 4:25 remaining in regulation.

The Bantams added a couple goals down the stretch for their final margin of victory over Bates.

McGuckin scored four goals and dished out an assist to pace Trinity. Senior captain Cammie Lavoie (Epping, N.H.) made a season-high 10 saves in goal for the Bobcats. 

Trinity out-shot Bates 35-26 and the Bobcats turned the ball over 26 times to Trinity's 17. 

The Bobcats are back in action Monday at 6pm when they visit Saint Joseph's College of Maine.