MIDDLEBURY, Vt. -- Bates College women's lacrosse returned to action after a week hiatus as the Bobcats visited #1 Middlebury College in a NESCAC clash. The top-ranked Panthers earned a 13-2 victory, leaving the garnet and white in search of its first conference triumph.

Middlebury took credit for the first 10 tallies of the contest. Bates finally lit up the scoreboard with 9:28 left in the third period when Lauren Wong (Fy.-Walpole, Mass.) netted her ninth of the season, courtesy of a Trish Balser (So.-Ponte Vedra, Fla.) assist. The Panthers (8-0, 4-0 NESCAC) would add three more goals before Maddie Donovan (Jr.-Cohasset, Mass.) contributed an unassisted effort for the Bobcats with just 1:55 to go in regulation.

The victors out-shot Bates, 34-10, and owned a healthy 24-7 cushion on frame. Jane Earley paced the Panthers with five total points (four goals). Kelcey Dion, Jamee Numan, Susan Rowley, and Hope Shue each scored two goals apiece for the home team.

Annie Enrietto was credited with the win in net for Middlebury, recording five saves in 60:00. Cammie Lavoie (Sr.-Epping, N.H.) gathered 11 saves in the complete-game performance for the Bobcats.

Bates (4-5, 0-4 NESCAC) will wait another full week before its next action, a NESCAC home contest vs. #20 Williams on April 1 (12:00 p.m.).