HARTFORD, Conn. -- Junior
Anna Cote ripped a shot into the back of the cage in the 67th minute and the No. 14 nationally ranked Bates field hockey team picked up a huge 2-1 win in overtime Saturday against No. 20 Trinity in NESCAC action.
With time winding down in overtime, senior
Lauren Salazar (Mohegan Lake, N.Y.) found senior captain
Sarah Bussell (Thompson's Station, Tenn.) at midfield. Bussell made a nifty move to sneak past her defender and guided a pass ahead to Cote (Auburn, Maine) on the left wing. Cote took the ball into the scoring area and was able to deflect it off a stick of a Trinity defender and maintain possession as she moved from left to right. Cote ripped a shot on the move into the middle of the cage to the left of the keeper for the game-winning tally. It's Cote's second goal of the season and the fourth game-winning goal of her career.
With the win, Bates (4-3, 2-2 NESCAC) avenges an overtime defeat last year to the Bantams (5-4, 1-4 NESCAC) and secures the program's first win in Hartford since 2002.
The Bobcats struck first on Saturday, taking advantage of a penalty corner in the 21st minute. Senior captain
Molly Griffin (Holden, Mass.) delivered the insert to the top of the circle and junior
Anna Lindeis (New Canaan, Conn.) fired a bullet shot past the Trinity keeper for a 1-0 Bates lead and Lindeis' fifth goal of the season. It marks Griffin's third assist of the year.
Trinity tallied the equalizer in the 42nd minute, also scoring on a penalty corner. Maeve Hymovitz inserted the ball and Katrina Winfield found the back of the cage, knotting the score at one.
The Bobcats out-shot Trinity 7-1 in the fourth quarter, but the game remained tied through 60 minutes.
Bates also dominated the overtime period, out-shooting the Bantams 7-1, with the seventh shot ending the game.
Olivia McMichael had a tremendous performance in the cage for Trinity, making 15 saves. Sophomore
Kaili Jacobsen (Fairfield, Conn.) was not challenged nearly as much, but was effective when tested, making four saves.
Overall, Bates tallied 24 shots to Trinity's seven. The Bobcats finished with 19 shots on goal to the Bantams' five.
The Bobcats are back in action at the University of New England Tuesday at 4pm.