Field Hockey Secures Another NESCAC Win Saturday at Bates College 2-1

LEWISTON, ME (October 12, 2024) - Kylie Rosenquest scored early in the fourth quarter and Lydia Easburn made four fourth-quarter saves as the sixth-ranked Tufts University field hockey team earned a 2-1 win at #11 Bates College on Saturday afternoon.

The victory is the third in a row for Tufts against a run of NESCAC teams since last Saturday, with today's result preceding wins over Trinity College and Amherst College. Tufts improved to 9-2 overall and 6-2 in the league. Bates falls to 8-3 and 4-3 in the conference.

The Jumbos' first goal early in the game materialized from the back line. After Eleanor Luft knocked down a Bates aerial pass, she sent it back to Claire Casey who moved it along to Kate MacKenzie. Bates pressured the ball, but MacKenzie was able to press through towards the center of the field and sent a pass up to Claire Gavin. She beat a defender and from the left curve of the circle sent a reverse-stick shot into the far right side of the cage for a 1-0 Tufts lead.

After a Bates corner resulted in a blocked shot and then another Gavin shot that was kicked away by Bobcat keeper Ava Donohue, the hosts evened the score. Anna Cote took a pass across the center line from Anna Lindeis and maneuvered threw the defense for a shot just inside the circle from the top-left that found its way into the cage with 5:47 to go in the first.

Rosenquest had a strong shot on a corner saved by Donohue late in the first, then Tufts would have heavy pressure in the Bates end for first five-plus minutes of the second quarter. However, Jumbo Hannah Biccard hit the post and Donohue made three saves during this stretch to keep it a 1-1 game. The lone Bates attempt in the second quarter was a good one, but Cote's open shot from the slot was wide to the right.
 
The teams played a quieter, scoreless frame in the third, with Tufts putting a shot on net and earning a corner to no avail. The game went to the fourth tied 1-1.

The Jumbos would get the go-head goal three minutes in on a corner. Rosenquest forced the corner and then scored the goal, taking a ball across the goal mouth from Kayleigh McDonald and pushing it in with 11:21 remaining in regulation.

Bates would have a handful of good scoring chances later in the fourth, but Eastburn was outstanding. She made two saves during a Bobcast corner with about eight minutes on the clock. Then on a Bates corner at 1:47, the hosts just missed connecting on a pass to an open player in front of the goal. On another Bates corner with 43 seconds left, Eastburn dove around the goal area making two more saves to preserve the Jumbo victory.

Tufts had a 13-8 advantage in shots for the game, including 8-5 on goal. Corners were even at 4-4. Donohue recorded six saves in the Bates cage, while all of Eastburn's four saves came in the final quarter.

The Jumbos, who have played seven of their 11 games on the road, will now play their final four contests of the regular-season at home starting on Wednesday versus the University of New England.