CLINTON, N.Y. -- Juniors Brooke Moloney-Kolenberg and Emma Queen both found the back of the cage and the No. 11 nationally ranked Bates field hockey team picked up a key NESCAC victory, winning 2-1 Sunday at No. 22 Hamilton.

The Bobcats (7-3, 4-2 NESCAC) are now tied with Tufts for third place in the conference and a game ahead of the Continentals (6-4, 3-3 NESCAC) with four NESCAC games remaining.

Bates wasted little time getting on the board first, as the Bobcats scored in the fourth minute. First-year Rose Gordon (North Andover, Mass.) stole a pass in Hamilton's and the Bobcats got the ball to Moloney-Kolenberg (Winchester, Mass.) in the shooting circle. Her initial shock was denied by Hamilton goalie Abby Griffin, but the ball bounced back outside the circle to Gordon, who fed it right back to Moloney-Kolenberg. This time, the junior swept the ball into the lower left side of the cage for her fourth goal of the season. It was Gordon's first collegiate assist.

The Bobcats held a 1-0 lead at halftime, and added to that edge in the 45th minute when Queen (Pittsburgh, Pa.) tallied her first collegiate goal.

Junior Lucy Norris (Chicago, Ill.) brought the ball down the right side of the field and delivered a perfect centering feed to senior Anna Cote (New Gloucester, Maine) in the circle. Cote ripped a back-handed shot on goal that Queen tipped home for a 2-0 Bates lead. It was Cote's team-leading fifth assist of the season.

Hamilton got on the board late in the contest, when Claire Tratnyek notched an unassisted tally in the 56th minute. But it was too little, too late for the hosts.

First-year Ava Donohue (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.) made four saves in the cage for the Bobcats. The Bobcats finished with 10 shots, eight on goal, while holding Hamilton to eight shots, five on goal. Bates earned three penalty corners to Hamilton's two. 

The Bobcats are back in action this Wednesday when they host the University of New England at 6 p.m.