LEWISTON, Maine --  A run of 11 unanswered goals proved to be the difference-maker for Hamilton College as the Continentals, playing their first contest of the season, defeated host-Bates College, 14-10, Saturday in NESCAC women's lacrosse action.

The day started on a high note for the garnet and white as three different Bobcats found the back of the net in the initial quarter to give the home team a 3-1 lead at the 8:51 mark of the first. 

Emma Austin put Bates on the board just 45 seconds into the game as the senior collected her second goal of the year. Hamilton's Maddigan Leifer knotted the score at 1-1 less than a minute later (13:17) with the first tally of the season for the Continentals.

Senior Hanna Matthews took advantage of a Hamilton yellow card by pouring in a "man-up" goal at 9:48 to make it 2-1 Bobcats. Grace Cassin increased the home margin to 3-1 soon after (8:51) as the first-year netted a score for the second-straight contest.

Things would turn sour quickly for Bates from that point forward as a man-advantage tally by Hamilton's Alex Orlando at 7:17 in the first ignited the aforementioned 11-goal rally that concluded with Leifer's third of the game with 13:35 left in the third period.

With the Continentals now holding a healthy 12-3 advantage, the two squads alternated scoring efforts to make the score 14-5 visitors heading into the final frame of regulation. The Bates offense would rally for a five-goal run of its own to cut the deficit to four, but the damage would be too much to overcome.

Sarah Creamer paced the victors with five points (three goals, two assists) in her season debut. Avery Trach enjoyed a three-point day consisting of two goals and a helper. Meghan Lane dominated the draw control for Hamilton with 10 in the win.

Austin topped the Bobcats with two goals and two assists while Matthews and Laci Raveis collected two tallies apiece. The Continentals (1-0) out-shot Bates, 29-22, with a 24-16 advantage on frame.

Casey Fiore, playing the entire first half in net for Hamilton (30:00), earned the victory with two saves on the day. Avery Lehman (1-2), playing 56:25 for the Bobcats, made nine saves in the effort.

The Bobcats (1-2) hit the road for their next action with a non-conference visit to the University of New England this Wednesday at 4:00 p.m.