AMHERST, Mass. -- The No. 7 nationally ranked Bates field hockey team scored twice in the second quarter and held on from there to defeat No. 9 Amherst by a score of 2-1 Saturday in NESCAC action.
It's the second straight year the Bobcats (8-0, 4-0 NESCAC) have defeated the Mammoths (3-4, 1-3 NESCAC) and the first time they've won at Amherst since 2006. Bates has now matched the 1973 Bobcats for the best start to a season through eight games in program history.
Trailing 1-0, Bates got on the board in the 19th minute off a penalty corner. Sophomore
Caroline Nowak (Pelham, N.Y.) delivered the insert to the top of the circle. Senior captain
Brooke Moloney-Kolenberg (Winchester, Mass.) received the pass and ripped a shot toward the right side of the cage. Senior captain
Lucy Norris (Chicago) came sliding in and redirected the ball into the left corner for her second goal of the season. It's Moloney-Kolenberg's team-leading fourth assist of the year.
Despite being a player down due to a green card, the Bobcats grabbed the lead for good in the 24th minute of action. Once again, Bates took advantage of a penalty corner.
Nowak delivered the insert to junior
Amy LaBelle (Barrington, R.I.) on the left side of the circle. LaBelle stepped into a shot and the ball bounced off an Amherst defender into the cage for the eventual game-winning tally. It's LaBelle's second goal of the season and Nowak's first career assist.
Neither team scored in the second half, but Amherst threatened late by earning two penalty corners in the final three seconds. Sophomore goalie
Ava Donohue (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.) denied a shot from Amherst's Bella Kim with no time on the clock to clinch the victory.
Donohue tallied six saves and junior captain
Haley Dwight (West Newbury, Mass.) added a pair of defensive saves in the win.
Amherst scored first on Saturday when Chloe Agopian found Molly Donegan at the far post in the fourth minute for a 1-0 Mammoth lead.
But the Bobcats held the hosts scoreless for the remainder of the contest, despite being out-shot 12-5 on the day. Amherst tallied nine shots on goal to three for Bates.
The Bobcats are back in action next Saturday when they host No. 5 nationally ranked Williams at 11 a.m.
