WELLESLEY, Mass. -- The Bates women's golf team opened their spring season at Wellesley College's Ann S. Batchelder Invitational, beating Bowdoin in the match-play tournament and ultimately placing second overall to the host Blue. 

Competing at Nehoiden Golf Club, the Bobcats took on the Polar Bears for nine holes, winning four of the five matches.

Senior Alex Voight-Shelley (State College, Pa.) defeated Bowdoin's Shivani Schmulen, going up by two holes with one to play. Sophomore Ruby Haylock (Hartford, Maine) earned a thrilling one-hole victory over Bowdoin's Emilia Rose. Meanwhile, junior Maddy Kwei (Pasadena, Calif.) had the most dominating win, going up by three holes with two to play on Bowdoin's Muzi Wei. Junior Nerea Barranco Aramburu (Zarautz, Spain) rounded out the winners for Bates by taking a two-hole win over Olivia Wirsching. 

The Bobcats took on Wellesley in the second nine holes, with Voight-Shelley once again earning a victory, beating the Blue's Marilyn Fang by one hole. Kwei turned in another strong performance, tying Ashley Cong. But Wellesley took the other three matches to win 3.5 to 1.5.

Bates is back in action at Amherst College's Jack Leaman Invitational next Saturday and Sunday at The Orchards Golf Club.