CLINTON, N.Y. -- Senior captain Caroline Taggart tallied three goals and two assists on Saturday, leading the Bates women's lacrosse team to a convincing 11-3 win over Hamilton in snowy conditions.

Eight different Bobcats scored to give Bates (2-1, 1-0 NESCAC) their largest margin of victory in a conference game since 2021. It's the fourth time in the past five years the Bobcats have defeated the Continentals (0-1, 0-1 NESCAC), and the eight-point win is their biggest over Hamilton in program history. 

Bates fell behind 2-0 in the contest before sophomore Laci Raveis (Fairfield, Conn.) found Taggart (Concord, Mass.) to get the Bobcats on the board with 2:29 left in the first quarter. Down 2-1 after one, the Bobcats tallied the equalizer with 13 minutes left in the second quarter on a goal from sophomore Lucy Taylor (Falmouth, Maine) and another assist for Raveis. 

The game remained tied for the next eight minutes of action until junior Caroline Keating (Rye, N.Y.) gave the Bobcats the lead for good on an assist from Raveis with 4:31 remaining until halftime. Junior Lauren Wong (Walpole, Mass.) added to the advantage less than 30 seconds later on an assist from Taggart.

Hamilton's Maddigan Leifer scored unassisted with 43 seconds left until halftime to trim the Bates lead to 4-3.

Then the Bobcats shut out Hamilton in the second half, scoring seven unanswered goals to secure the win.

Draw controls were the key to victory, as Bates tallied 13 draws in the game to just five for Hamilton. Keating secured a game-high seven draw controls to lead the way. Senior Olivia Hall (Boston) was dominant on defense, causing five turnovers and recording five ground balls. 

Taggart and Raveis both finished with five points, as Raveis scored a goal to go along with her game-high four assists. Taylor notched a pair of goals and two assists.

Junior Raegan White (Duxbury, Mass.) recorded six saves between the pipes for the Bobcats.

Julia Lee led Hamilton with one goal and one assist. Carlisle West was strong on defense, causing five turnovers and recording four ground balls. Eliza Schwarz made six saves in goal.

The Bobcats are back in action Tuesday at Husson, with the contest starting at 6 p.m.