Tom Maguire, Beat Writer Bates Women’s Lacrosse
Lacrosse is Awesome
Junior midfielder Allison Dewey (Vergennes VT) secured the 9-8 exciting overtime victory for the Bates Bobcats over Babson with a goal at 1:32 of the extra period. The Bates women’s record improves to 2-1 while the Babson squad falls to 1-2 after two consecutive tough one goal losses.
Babson started strong with two quick cutter goals by junior Charlotte O’Halloran (Middletown RI) senior and Francesca Giovanucci (Easton MA) in the first 2:33 of the game. Bates picked up the defensive intensity and battled back with two goals in the next 3:32 by sophomore Katie Allard (Ridgewood NJ) and senior Sydney Cowles (Wayne PA) to tie the match. Senior Katie McKenna (Sandwich MA) scored for Babson 36 seconds later to take a 3-2 lead which would end up being the last time Babson would hold the lead in the game.
The Bobcats reeled off four scores to close out the first half with a 6-3 lead. Junior Teal Otley (Cumberland ME) scored on a free position at 21:47 after a hard foul. After more than nine scoreless minutes of tenacious back and forth attacks, senior Kaileigh Maguire (Sudbury MA) put the Bobcats up 4-3 on an unassisted goal weaving her way from the top of the circle. First year Avery MacMullen (New Haven CT) hit the corner of the net on an assist from senior Drew Barry (Portland ME) at 7:08 to make it 5-3 Bates. Katie Allard closed out the scoring in the first half on an underhand snap shot from the free position at 2:26 for a 6-3 Bates lead.
Bates stretched the lead to 7-3 on a shorthanded free position goal by junior Camille Belletete (Jaffrey NH) at 25:53. Babson again found the net 51 seconds later to make it 7-4 on a one timer by senior Emily Bresnehan (Wenham MA) with an assist from sophomore Taylor Thorbahan (Duxbury MA) stationed behind the goal. Bates regained the four goal cushion 1:13 later at 18:53 as Avery MacMullen scored her second goal on a free position.
With a fine pass from Katie McKenna at the top of the circle, junior Annie Arthur (West Windsor VT) hit the top corner at 13:22 for Babson to close the gap to 8-5. With a Bates player in the penalty box, first year Taylor Herrmann (Mahwah NJ) tallied at 7:54 for Babson to make it 8-6. Junior Julia Harrigan (Portsmouth RI) of Babson scored an unassisted goal twisting thru the Bates defense cutting the deficit to 1 goal.
With two minutes left in the game, down one goal, Babson forced a Bates turnover. Emily Bresnehan patiently cradled the ball for Babson while being pressed by two Bates defenders. She split the defense and tied the game on a bounce shot with 25 seconds left to force overtime.
Julia Harrigan again won the crucial draw for Babson and sprinted down the left side looking to cut in for the shot but Camille Belletete raced back to defense position and drew the charge near the goal on a cutting Harrigan. Bates successfully cleared the ball after fierce defense from Babson. Belletete moved right and found a cutting junior Ally Dewey who snapped off the 9-8 game winner for Bates at 1:32 of overtime.
Bobcat Tracks:
*Sophomore Bates goalie Eliza Statile (Ipswich MA) blanked Babson on five free positions with nine saves total to come up big in the Bates victory.
*Bates converted 17 of 20 clears while holding Babson to 12 clears in 20 attempts.
*First year Avery MacMullen and sophomore Katie Allard scored two goals each.
*Junior Camille Belletete and Senior Kaleigh Maguire each tallied one goal and two assists to lead Bates scoring.
Bates is now scheduled to travel to Amherst Friday for a NESCAC conference game instead of Saturday due to weather.
Babson’s game Saturday vs. Endicott has been postponed TBA due to weather.
Tom Maguire, Beat Writer Bates Women’s Lacrosse
Lacrosse is Awesome