LEWISTON, Maine -- Senior Anna Cote scored a goal and dished out an assist as the No. 12 nationally ranked Bates field hockey team held off a tough No. 22 Bowdoin squad in a 3-2 victory over the Polar Bears Tuesday night at Campus Ave. Field. 

The Bobcats (4-2, 2-1 NESCAC) defeated the Polar Bears (3-3, 1-2 NESCAC) for the fourth straight time, earning a pivotal conference victory headed into a tough game this Saturday against No. 9 Amherst. 

Cote (New Gloucester, Maine) got the scoring started in the seventh minute of action. Junior Brooke Moloney-Kolenberg (Winchester, Mass.) delivered the insert on a penalty corner to first-year Caroline Nowak (Pelham, N.Y.), who left the ball for senior captain Anna Lindeis (New Canaan, Conn.). Lindeis moved to her right before firing a pass back to her left where Cote was waiting. The All-American one-timed it home for a 1-0 Bates lead.

Bates never trailed in the contest, and the hosts added to their lead in the 20th minute. Cote drove down the right side onto the baseline where she threaded a pass through the Bowdoin defense and onto the stick of Moloney-Kolenberg, who went top shelf for her third goal of the season.

Cote (two goals, three assists) and Moloney-Kolenberg (three goals, one assist) are tied for the team-lead with seven points apiece through six games.

Up 2-0, the Bobcats survived a scare late in the first half. The Polar Bears earned a penalty corner with just over five minutes remaining until halftime. An initial shot by Maddie Mrva got blocked, but Charlotte Crawford was able to get the ball and fire another shot. Sophomore Haley Dwight (West Newbury, Mass.) stopped the ball at the post for a defensive save, and then first-year goalie Ava Donohue (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.) was able to deny Crawford's follow-up attempt.

Bates led 2-0 at the intermission, but the Polar Bears cut the deficit to one in the 32nd minute. The Polar Bears earned a penalty corner and converted on the chance thanks to Maya Malenfant ripping a shot into the corner of the cage after she settled a loose ball on the right side. 

Now only up by one, the Bobcats needed an insurance tally. And sophomore Sophie O'Sullivan (Wellesley, Mass.) delivered in the 41st minute.

For the second time in the contest, Bates took advantage of a penalty corner. Senior Maria Femia (Canton, Mass.) was able to gather a pass on the left side of the cage. She turned and fired a shot on goal. O'Sullivan had positioned herself in the middle and she was able to get her stick on the ball to redirect it into the cage for a 3-1 Bates lead.

The Polar Bears got one back in the 49th minute when Emily Ferguson scored a goal on a penalty stroke. But Bates denied the visitors any further shots the rest of the way, and they survived a penalty corner in the 59th minute when the insert went past the intended target and out-of-bounds. 

The Bobcats tallied 17 shots, five on goal, while Bowdoin finished with 12 shots, four on goal. Bates earned nine penalty corners to six for the visitors. 

Bates is back in action this Saturday at 11 a.m. when they host Amherst in NESCAC action.