LEWISTON, Maine -- Sophomore Rose Gordon picked the perfect time to score her first collegiate goal as the No. 5 nationally ranked Bates field hockey team defeated No. 7 Williams 2-1 Saturday at Campus Ave. Field.

Gordon (North Andover, Mass.) scored the eventual game-winner off a penalty corner in the 52nd minute to give the Bobcats (9-0, 5-0 NESCAC) their best start to a season in program history. Her initial look got blocked but she was able to recover and score from the top of the circle. 

Bates prevailed despite being outshot 18-9 by the Ephs (6-3, 4-2 NESCAC) in a game that featured 11 penalty corners for the visitors and seven for Bates.

Sophomore goalkeeper Ava Donohue (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.) made five saves in the cage for the Bobcats while junior captain Haley Dwight (West Newbury, Mass.) added a defensive save.

The Bobcats got on the board first when junior Elena Agosti (North Andover, Mass.) found senior captain Brooke Moloney-Kolenberg (Winchester, Mass.) in the 23rd minute for the latter's team-leading fifth goal of the season. 

Williams tied the game late in the third quarter on a Kiki Higgins goal with an assist to Keira Harder.

But the Bobcats struck back thanks to Gordon in the fourth quarter to beat the Ephs for the third time in their last five tries.

Bates hosts No. 10 Hamilton on Sunday at 11 a.m.