Bates College built a six-goal lead after three quarters and the Bobcats hung on for a 13-12 NESCAC win against the Hamilton College Continentals at Bates' Garcelon Field on Saturday.
 
Nationally ranked No. 12 Hamilton (5-2, 3-2 NESCAC) held the advantage in shot (37-24), ground balls (22-15), draw controls (14-11) and free-position shots (13-6). The Continentals play another conference game at undefeated Middlebury College on Sunday, April 10 at 1 p.m.
 
The Bobcats (3-7, 1-6) picked up their first NESCAC win. Bates led 3-2 at the end of the first quarter, 7-3 at the half and 11-5 after three. The Bobcats scored three times when Hamilton was down a player due to cards. Bates was successful on just 16 of 26 clear attempts.
 
Olivia Seymour '22 paced the Continentals' offense with career highs of five goals and seven points and won four draws. Clarissa Hurley '23 chipped in two goals and three assists for a season-best five points. Eva Abel '22 added two goals, an assist and three ground balls, and Alana King '24 posted a goal and an assist.
 
Meghan Lane '24 led all players with seven draws and five caused turnovers to go along with three ground balls. Olivia Chiota '24 scored her sixth goal and scooped up four ground balls. Maeve Luparello '23 played the first half in goal and made four saves, and Kaitlin Reed '24 stopped two shots in the second half.
 
Dana Swartz had three goals and an assist for the Bobcats. Trish Balser contributed two goals and a helper, and Caroline Taggart and Jordyn Tveter tallied two goals apiece. Tveter added six draws and four caused turnovers. Maddy Roelofs registered a goal, an assist and four ground balls. Cammie Lavoie played the entire game in goal and turned away 13 shots.
 
Hamilton scored two goals one minute apart midway through the first quarter for a 2-1 edge. The Continentals led for 2:44 after a goal by Emma Toes '25 with 5:06 left, but trailed for the last 45-plus minutes.
 
Bates seemed to be in control with 9:11 remaining in the fourth quarter when Sadie O'Neil scored and gave the Bobcats a 13-7 advantage. Hamilton stormed back to within one with five goals in a span of three minutes, five seconds. Hurley started the rally with 7:08 to go, Abel scored while the Continentals were up a player, and Seymour notched the other three goals. Abel found Seymour for her fifth goal of the day with 4:03 left.
 
Hamilton managed just one shot on goal the rest of the way. The comeback attempt was hampered by yellow cards given to two Continentals in the final 81 seconds.