Bates College

LEWISTON, Maine -- In a game Bates men's soccer dominated from the jump, first-year Finn Coburn provided the second-half breakthrough the team needed, scoring in the 82nd minute to give the Bobcats a 1-0 win over Maine Maritime Academy Wednesday night at Russell Street Field.

Bates (4-2-1) pressed from the opening whistle. Junior Andrew Jean Baptiste (Montvale, N.J.) had an early chance sail just high and left in the second minute (1:50). Sophomore Alden Yu (Ridgefield, Conn.) had a shot blocked in the 16th minute (15:29), and senior Luc Parr (New Fairfield, Conn.) forced a save with a low shot to the right in the 25th minute (24:07). Sophomore Will Stillman (Windsor, Conn.), who was named NESCAC Player of the Week, had a pair of shots blocked in the 40th (39:49) and 42nd (41:39) minutes. Sophomore Ethan Fisher (Portland, Maine) had another shot blocked in the 44th minute (43:34), and Stillman nearly broke through again moments later, sending a shot just wide left to close out the half (43:51).

The Bobcats continued to apply pressure after the break. Parr sent a shot high early in the second half (45:11), while first-year Alex Hensch (Longmeadow, Mass.) created a pair of chances, missing just right in the 52nd minute (51:40) before forcing a save with a low shot to the right in the 55th minute (54:15). Jean Baptiste (58:17) and first-year Marc Chedid (Lexington, Mass.) (59:25) each sent shots just high before Coburn generated three chances of his own. Coburn forced saves on low shots in the 67th (66:37) and 71st (70:55) minutes before sending another effort just wide left in the 79th minute (78:52).

The breakthrough finally came in the 82nd minute (81:47), when Coburn buried a low shot from the center of the box off an assist from Stillman to give Bates a 1-0 lead. Coburn nearly doubled the advantage minutes later, forcing another save in the 85th minute (84:18), while Chedid had a late shot saved in the 90th minute (89:01) as the Bobcats looked for insurance.

At the other end, first-year goalkeeper Isaac Kolaczkowski (Beavercreek, Ohio) made a save in the 59th minute to help preserve the clean sheet.

Bates controlled the attack throughout, outshooting the Mariners 19-5 and putting seven shots on goal compared to Maine Maritime's one.

The Bobcats return to NESCAC play when they host the Bantams of Trinity College at 2 p.m. for Back to Bates Weekend.