LEWISTON, Maine — A dominant defensive performance and balanced scoring effort lifted the No. 12 Bates women's basketball team to a 56–44 victory over Endicott Saturday afternoon at Alumni Gym. The Bobcats improve to 3–0 with the win while the Gulls slip to .500 at 3-3.

Bates controlled the inside game, outscoring its guest 36–10 in the paint and holding the visitors to just 27.9% shooting from the field. The Bobcats also owned the glass with a 46–35 rebounding margin, including 11 offensive boards that led to 13 second-chance points.

Senior center, Elsa Daulerio, powered Bates with 13 points and nine rebounds (two blocks), shooting 6-for-12 while anchoring the interior on both ends. Junior Sarah Hughes supplied 11 points and five boards, knocking down a three-pointer and delivering a key jumper to open the fourth quarter (9:15). Senior Sophie Spolter added 11 points, six rebounds, and two assists in a steady all-around performance.

Bates led 16–13 after the opening quarter and took a 26–21 advantage into halftime, thanks to timely buckets from first-year Claire Gaetani (8:01) and sophomore Gabby Bellacqua (6:48), and back-to-back stops late in the period. The Bobcats broke the game open in the third with a 16–11 frame, highlighted by a three from Hughes (6:37) that pushed the lead to double digits.

Endicott trimmed the deficit to nine early in the fourth (9:02), but Bates never fretted as the Bobcats controlled the remaining minutes and held off the Gulls down the stretch.

Bellacqua finished with five points and six rebounds off the bench, while senior Danielle Adams added four points, three boards, and a key block. Nine different Bobcats scored in the win.

The garnet and white returns to the Alumni Gym hardwood Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. when they host the University of Southern Maine (3-0).