LEWISTON — There was no place like home for the Bates College men’s lacrosse team Wednesday.
With temperatures soaring past 50 degrees, it was a wonderful day for a home game. Garcelon Field was a gorgeous green, and mountains of snowbanks surrounded the field. The Bobcats wanted to savor every moment of their final outing before a long stretch on the road.
The Bobacts held off a solid Roger Williams club for a 13-8 win.
“It’s been a nice start at home and nice to even our slate at 2-2 against a very good and pretty tough team,” Bates coach Peter Lasagna said. “It’s nice to start a win streak at Garcelon again. Now we have to get ready for a NESCAC opponent.”
After four straight games on home turf, the Bobcats are on the road for six of the next seven. Bates doesn’t play at home again until March 28, and then plays another three games on the road.
Bates led the entire way Wednesday, but always had the Hawks (2-2) in the rear view mirror. The Bobcats opened leads of three, four and five goals only to watch Roger Williams rally.
“We watched them on film against (Connecticut),” said Lasagna, whose team begins the road trip at Trinity Saturday. “They beat Conn, a really good NESCAC team, the exact same way. Conn got up and they kept coming back. We knew that’s what they were all about.”
The Hawks got within 8-6 early in the final quarter after three straight goals. Bates answered right back with a pair of goals in a span of 13 seconds.
“I think we just have to keep trusting our teammates,” senior Jack Strain said. “Once we get running, we start to click and we start putting some balls in.”
Strain finished with five goals and two assists while Jack Allard added four goals and two assists. Burke Smith netted a pair. Charlie Hildebrand and Matt McReddie each tallied goals. Andrew Melvin had three assists.
“Jack Strain stepped up like you want to see a senior captain step up in a two-goal game,” Lasagna said.
Roger Williams got three goals and an assist from Will Siefert. AJ Core also had a pair.
“They get a lot of credit,” Lasagna said. “They push out defensively. They make it hard for you. They’re all over you when the balls on the ground. They’re physical and tough kids, and they’re really skilled on offense. If you’re not ready to go, they’re going to make it a two-goal game.”
Bates was up 8-3 in the third quarter after goals by Strain and Allard. The Bobcats had watched the Hawks trim a 6-1 lead down to 6-3 just before the half. Then Roger Williams rallied again in the third. A pair of Siefert goals cut the Bobcats’ lead to 8-5 after three.
Then early in the fourth, Caleb Kenney drove to the net for a goal and the Hawks were within 8-6.
“In the third, we weren’t quite there yet,” Strain said. “We just kept momentum. Then got a couple of goals and we started to get back to it and finding teammates.”
Strain answered the Hawks’ rally with a goal with 12:38 left, just 32 seconds after the Kenney goal. Then Smith scored 13 seconds later to bump the lead to 10-6. Strain scored again with 8:20 remaining for the 11-6 lead.
“That was a momentum-shifter,” Strain said. “Then the D caused some key turnovers, which was huge for us. That gave the ball up and out to the offensive end.”
Rogers Williams continued to pluck away at the lead. Core scored with 3:46 left. Allard responded to that with 2:50 remaining. Then Tim Kelly scored with 2:28 left, but Allard answered again to bolster the lead.
The Bobcats defensive play was solid the entire game. Lasagna noted the play of junior defender Matt Proto. Sam Francis was solid on face-offs while Joe Faria was steady in net, finishing with 10 saves. Bates outshot the Hawks 23-18.
“I think we stayed with it,” said Lasagna. “We got some important stops. Our goalie made a couple of huge saves late, and we took care of the ball for the most part and got it in the offensive end.”
Bates jumped out to a 3-0 lead to start the goal on goals from Allard, Matt McReddie and Smith. Roger Williams didn’t net a goal until 1:38 remained in the first quarter. Eddie Hill had the goal to cut the lead to 4-1.
The Bobcats opened the lead to 6-1 with three goals in a span of 35 seconds. Strain scored the first on a pass from Allard. Hildebrand scored just 15 seconds later. Then Strain scored again 20 seconds after that for the 6-1 lead.
Roger Williams finished with a pair to close the gap. Siefert and Core scored and the Hawks threatened in the closing seconds. Bates made a strong defensive stand to preserve the 6-3 lead at the half.
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