LEWISTON, Maine -- On the surface, the Bates women's soccer team struggled last season, going 3-8-4 overall and 1-7-2 in NESCAC play. But a closer look shows a team on the verge of a major breakthrough. The Bobcats hope that happens this year, as they get the 2024 season underway Tuesday at Garcelon Field when Bates hosts Husson at 5 p.m.

Bates lost four NESCAC matches last year by a count of 1-0. 

 "There certainly is a premium in scoring first," head coach Joe Vari said. "Specifically in the NESCAC, because it's such an outrageous stat. It's something like the team that scores first wins 80% of the games in the conference."

Vari enters his sixth year at the helm of the program. Bates graduated six seniors, but with 15 upper-class players, the Bobcats boast an experienced squad that looks to find the back of the net early and often this year.

"A lot of it is two-sided, we obviously want to create some more (scoring) opportunities, so that's been a big focus for us," Vari said. "But you also don't want to give up an easy one early, because then you're working from behind." 

Sophomore forward Olivia Becker (Woodbridge, Va.) and senior captain midfielder Anna Masumoto (Seattle, Wash.) lead the returning scorers for Bates, with both having accumulated five points (two goals, one assist, apiece) last year. Bates showed their potential in a 2-0 win last October over then-No. 17 nationally ranked Hamilton in a match that saw Masumoto score the eventual game-winning goal just over 21 minutes in. 

"Coming out of high school, Anna missed almost two straight calendar years of soccer (due to injury)," Vari said. "But now she's playing at just a great level. She's silky smooth and really strong, and is just such a bright personality as well."

Masumoto's recovery from injury is an inspiration for a trio of Bobcats who will be returning this year after missing time last season. Senior wing Ellie Tyska (Hudson, Mass.) and sophomore defender Ruby Hill (Berkeley, Calif.) both missed the entire 2023 campaign, while sophomore defender Cat Zola (San Francisco, Calif.) didn't play after the Hamilton win, missing the final five matches of the season. All three are on the road to recovery and should see playing time this year.

"It'll be a big boost," Vari said. "Not only for morale, getting some good players back, but every step that they've been taking on their recovery, the team has been so excited to see them and they've been cheering them on."

Other key returnees for Bates include junior defender Kylie Musante (Brentwood, Tenn.), who led the team in minutes played last year, senior captain Mollie Franklin (Framingham, Mass.), who scored a goal and started 13 matches, senior defender and captain Grace Gesmondi (Narragansett, R.I.), junior forward Gabby Monaco (Pittsburgh, Pa.), and senior midfielder Lily Houser (Los Angeles, Calif.), with the latter two joining Masumoto in tallying game-winning goals last season. 

The Bobcats return a trio of goalies, and senior captain Ruby Reimann (Oak Bluffs, Mass.) is the most experienced of the bunch. She has made 18 career starts, including 12 last season. Reimann recorded a save percentage of .759 and notched a pair of wins, including the shutout victory against Hamilton where she made five saves. 

Bates has a strong group of first-years as well, with seven newcomers joining the squad from the class of 2028.

"I tell the first-years that it is okay to make mistakes," Vari said. "I like the fact that we're here early, and they don't have to worry about classes yet because the transition to college just in general, moving away from family, sometimes cross-country is a big change. And then you just throw in a lot of the soccer and those types of things. But we've been really, really impressed with all the first-years. They've  just jumped in and the level's been super high from them. So I think the adjustment period was really short-lived."

Bates will begin the season on Garcelon Field, as the Russell Street Field project wraps up. The transition to turf speeds the game up, and Bates hopes leads to some more offense as well. 

"I'll have to do some research to see if playing on turf increases scoring," Vari said. "But regardless, the athletes are really excited. They see the progress being made every day. That new surface at Russell Street, the additional lights there, will be really big scheduling-wise, being able to have that facility primarily for us in the fall. We could get a good little energy boost once that thing is geared to go. So things are progressing really well."