LEWISTON, Maine -- The Tufts University Jumbos scored two early goals and held on from there to defeat the Bates field hockey team 3-1 Sunday afternoon in the NCAA quarterfinals at Campus Ave. Field.

With the loss, the Bobcats (16-4) wrapped up a season that saw them win the program's first NESCAC championship. Their 16 victories this year are the most in Bates field hockey history.

Tufts (17-3) got on the board quickly, earning a penalty corner in just the second minute of action. Lilly Ragusa delivered the insert to Eleanor Helm on the right side of the shooting circle. She passed the ball to her left and Eleanor Luft ripped it towards the cage. Hannah Biccard was able to direct the ball to Ragusa who was waiting by the right post and she dove and poked the ball into the cage for a 1-0 Tufts lead.

Then Biccard added to the lead in the sixth minute when she ripped an incredible shot while on the run to her right. The ball sailed into the top-left corner of the cage for a 2-0 edge for the visitors.

Tufts nearly went up by three goals a few minutes later but junior captain Haley Dwight (West Newbury, Mass.) made back-to-back defensive saves on a pair of Biccard shots to keep the Bobcats within two.

Bates responded in the 12th minute, taking advantage of a penalty corner. Sophomore Caroline Nowak (Pelham, N.Y.) delivered the insert to the top of the circle and senior captain Brooke Moloney-Kolenberg (Winchester, Mass.) shuffled the ball over to Dwight on her left. Dwight ripped a shot towards the left post and Nowak tipped it home for her sixth goal of the season. 

The two teams settled into quite the battle over the next two quarters. The Bobcats almost tied things up just before halftime but Camille Clarke made a defensive save for Tufts.

Still down by one, the Bobcats earned a penalty corner in the 41st minute. Dwight had a good look at a shot, only to see Claire Casey make a defensive save right on the goal line. 

Then the Jumbos went up 3-1 in the 45th minute, once again taking advantage of a penalty corner. Reagan Malo dove and deflected a shot from Katarina Villa up and over the defense and into the cage for the insurance tally.

The Bobcats only recorded one shot on goal in the fourth quarter as Tufts held on for the win. Lydia Eastburn made two saves for Tufts on the afternoon while sophomore Ava Donohue (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.) made three saves for Bates.

The Jumbos finished the game with 20 shots, eight on goal. They held the Bobcats to nine shots, with five on goal. Tufts earned 11 penalty corners to seven for Bates.

This marks the second straight year the Bobcats have fallen to Tufts in the NCAA quarterfinals. Last year, they lost 2-1 in overtime. Tufts advances to face Christopher Newport this Friday as the lone NESCAC team to make this year's Final Four.