College roundup: Bates women's lacrosse falls to Wesleyan; UMaine hockey eliminated

LEWISTON — Julia Gretsky scored twice in the final 11 minutes to help nationally ranked Wesleyan University hold off Bates College 9-7 in NESCAC women’s lacrosse at Garcelon Field on Saturday.

The Cardinals and Bobcats were tied 6-6 with 11 minutes to play.

Gretsky had three goals overall for Wesleyan (3-0, 2-0 NESCAC), which entered the game ranked 18th in the nation. Abby Manning and Abigail Horst added two goals apiece for the Cardinals.

Annie Duke scored three times for Bates (3-2, 0-2), while Teal Otley scored twice. Bates junior Katie Allred had a game-high three caused turnovers.

Black Bears bounced

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Providence scored three goals in the first period and held on for a 3-2 win Saturday night over Maine to take the best-of-three Hockey East quarterfinal series.

Scott Conway and Brandon Duhaime scored in the first 8:20 to put third-seeded Providence (22-10-4) ahead 2-0, and Brian Pinho made it 3-0 with 1:08 left in the period.

Sixth-seeded Maine (18-16-4), which was trying to force a third game on Sunday, got a goal from Eduards Tralmaks 1:08 into the second period. Just 45 seconds later, Nolan Vesey cut the deficit to 3-2.

The Black Bears nearly tied it late in the second period, but a shot by Brendan Robbins went off the post.

Jeremy Swayman made 38 saves for Maine, while Hayden Hawkey stopped 14 shots for Providence.

All-American Bobcats

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Bates women’s indoor track and field team earned four All-America honors in four events at the NCAA Division III championships.

Senior Sally Ceesay had the Bobcats’ best showing, placing second in the triple jump Saturday. Ceesay broke her own school record with a distance of 40 feet, 4 inches.

Senior Katherine Cook claimed two of those All-Americas, finishing third in the 5,000-meter run Friday and seventh in the 3,000 on Saturday.

Junior Ayden Eickhoff took fourth in the 800 final Saturday. She broke a school indoor record with a time of 2:11.47.

As a team, the Bobcats finished eighth, the program’s highest finish since 2006.

For Bates’ men’s team, Jack Kiely finished seventh in the men’s mile run at the NCAA Division III indoor track and field championship Saturday.

Kiely, a senior, ran the race in 4 minutes, 12.57 seconds. He earned his first All-America honor — the 41st for Bates’ men’s indoor track and field team, and the fourth to do so in the mile.

On Friday, Bobcats senior Adedire Fakorede placed 11th in the 35-pound weight throw.

Ski championships

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. — Bates sophomore Kaelyn Woods placed 23rd in the women’s 15-kilometer freestyle race at the NCAA Nordic championships Saturday.

Woods’ finish, out of 40 skiers, is the Bobcats’ best at the NCAA championships since 2012.

Woods compiled eight team points at nationals. Combined with the 15 points Alpine skier Griffin Mueller accumulated, Bates finished with 23, which is 18th out of 23 teams.

Bates softball splits

CLERMONT, Fla. — The Bates softball team split a pair of games in Florida on Saturday.

The Bobcats beat Gordon 15-5 in six innings, then fell 2-0 to UMass-Dartmouth in controversial fashion.

Bates’ Kirsten Pelletier pitched another complete game, striking out four. The difference came in the sixth inning when Kylie Fletcher hit a home run down the line that could have been foul.

The Bobcats, at 8-2, are off to their best start since 1999.

Bates College midfielder Camille Belletete, right, and Wesleyan’s Kat Cucullo battle for the ball during their NESCAC women’s lacrosse match at Garcelon Field on the campus of Bates College in Lewiston on Saturday. (Justin Pelletier/Sun Journal)

Bates College’s Camille Belletete, left, and Wesleyan’s Abby Manning tussle for the faceoff during their NESCAC women’s lacrosse match at Garcelon Field on the campus of Bates College in Lewiston on Saturday. (Justin Pelletier/Sun Journal)Bates College attack Annie Duke, left, fires a shot at Wesleyan keeper Allegra Grant while Wesleyan Breanna Cavanaugh defends during their NESCAC women’s lacrosse match at Garcelon Field on the campus of Bates College in Lewiston on Saturday. (Justin Pelletier/Sun Journal)Fans huddle on the snow-covered bleachers at Bates College’s Garcelon Field in Lewiston on Saturday as they watch the Bobcats face Wesleyan in a women’s lacrosse match. (Justin Pelletier/Sun Journal)Fans watch Bates College take on Wesleyan in a NESCAC women’s lacrosse game at Garcelon Field on the campus of Bates College in Lewiston on Saturday. (Justin Pelletier/Sun Journal)Bates College midfielder Liv Sandford, left, looks to get past Wesleyan midfielder Julia Gretsky during their match at Garcelon Field on the campus of Bates College in Lewiston on Saturday. (Justin Pelletier/Sun Journal)Bates College midfielder Liv Sandford slips past a Wesleyan defender during their NESCAC women’s lacrosse match at Garcelon Field on the campus of Bates College in Lewiston on Saturday. (Justin Pelletier/Sun Journal)Wesleyan’s Julia Gretsky, left, hanks the stick of Bates College’s Allison Dewey and jars the ball loose during their NESCAC women’s lacrosse match at Garcelon Field on the campus of Bates College in Lewiston on Saturday. (Justin Pelletier/Sun Journal)Bates College midfielder Camille Belletete, back, and Wesleyan’s Abby Manning battle for the ball on a faceoff during their NESCAC women’s lacrosse match at Garcelon Field on the campus of Bates College in Lewiston on Saturday. (Justin Pelletier/Sun Journal)Bates College midfielder Camille Belletete, right, and Wesleyan’s Kat Cucullo battle for the ball during their NESCAC women’s lacrosse match at Garcelon Field on the campus of Bates College in Lewiston on Saturday. (Justin Pelletier/Sun Journal)