March 12, 2007

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BABSON PARK, Mass. - Bates College took the lead with a 5-0 run midway through the game and never looked back as the visiting Bobcats defeated host Babson College, 13-7, in a non-conference women's lacrosse contest at MacDowell Field on Monday night. With the win, Bates improved to 3-0, while the Beavers suffered their first defeat to fall to 1-1.

The two teams battled back-and-forth in the first half, with Babson taking the lead four times only to have Bates tie the contest on each occasion. The Bobcats then took their first lead of the game on a free position goal by first-year Katelyn Drake (Hudson, Ohio) with 1:19 to play in the period, giving the visitors a 5-4 edge heading into the break.

Bates came out firing in the second half, scoring three unanswered goals in the first six minutes to build an 8-4 advantage. Sophomore Caroline Thomas (Barrington, R.I.) scored the first at 27:49, junior Molly Wagner (Longmeadow, Mass.) netted the second at 26:08, and Drake tossed in the third at 24:42. Babson would tally two of the next three scores, including the third of the game for sophomore Lindsay Bucci (Medford, Mass.), to cut its deficit back to 9-6, but the Bobcats responded with a 4-0 run that put the game out of reach.

Wagner led all players with four goals for Bates, while Thomas added three scores. Sophomore Katie Smarse (Lincoln, N.H.) was magnificent in net for the Bobcats, making eight saves overall, including several from point-blank range during her team's pivotal late-game run.

Bucci paced the Beavers with three goals, while sophomore Jackie Godfrey (Franklin, Mass.) added one goal and one assist. First-year Kaitlyn Pettengill (Hopkinton, Mass.) dished out two assists in defeat, and senior tri-captain Jennie Williams (Andover, Mass.) finished a solid game in goal with 10 saves.