LEWISTON, Maine -- On a rainy, bitterly cold Saturday afternoon that started with Bates College honoring its 10-person senior class on Garcelon Field, the Bobcats ended the day feeling bitter for a whole different reason as the garnet and white dropped a tough 13-12 decision to visiting Connecticut College in NESCAC play.

The final score marks the fourth game decided by one goal involving Bates this season as head coach Dan Annino and his troops own a 1-3 record in those contests.

After a low-scoring first quarter that ended with the Bobcats owning an initial 2-1 lead, the Camels came back to outscore the home team in the second, 5-4, to create a 6-6 stalemate heading into intermission.

In a back and forth third period, Myles Newport's third goal of the season with 1:34 left in the frame provided Conn. College a 10-9 advantage going into the final stanza. At 14:43 of the period, Wil Masterson's 13th of the year knotted the score at 10-all.
 
The tie would hold until the 8:44 mark, when a Ben Miller tally (3rd of season) put Bates back ahead at 11-10. 

The Camels' Bobby Chang (6:50) and Bates' Denzel Evans (5:55) alternated scoring efforts less than a minute apart, which made the score 12-11 'Cats. The stage was now set for Conn. College's JJ Ford as the junior proceeded to pour in the equalizer with 3:06 remaining in regulation, followed by the game-winner 34 seconds later (2:32), to clinch the win for the visitors.

Ford paced the Conn. College offense with a hat trick and an assist (four points) in the victory. Chang provided two goals and an assist, good for three points. TJ Underhill paced the home team with three goals and a helper (four points). Riley McClure and Cooper Lance each sizzled in a pair of tallies for the garnet and white.

Benjamin Kondner continues his strong play on the defensive end for Bates as the first-year caused five turnovers and scooped up five ground balls. Colton Curtis followed with four caused turnovers and three grounders of his own. Miles Schmidt was successful on 16 of 23 face-off attempts with the first-year controlling six grounders in the process.

First-year goalkeeper, Andrew Toland, established a new career-best with 22 saves on the day, his third game with 20+ saves this season for the Bobcats. Counterpart, Will Rice, secured 17 saves for the Camels in a complete-game victory.

Conn. College seals its first NESCAC triumph (1-5) and moves 3-5 overall. Bates slides to 3-8 (0-7 NESCAC).

The Bobcats now prepare to host Tufts this Wednesday night at 6:00 p.m.