The Week That Was in Bates Sports


October 29 - November 4, 1995

Bates Tops Bowdoin, 33-29, Snaps Losing Streak

The Bobcats defeated the Bowdoin College Polar Bears, 33-29. The win snapped a 37-game losing streak. The Bobcats last win was also over Bowdoin, a 19-13 win on November 3, 1990.

The star of the game for Bates was sophomore running back P.J. McGrail, who gained 231 yards on 33 carries. He scored two touchdowns rushing. He also caught 3 passes for 39 yards and one touchdown and scored a two-point conversion.The 231 rushing yards wa s the third highest single game total in Bates history. For his efforts, McGrail earned three weekly honors: NESCAC Offensive Co-Player of the Week; ECAC New England Division III Offensive Player of the Week; and the Coca Cola Gold Helmet award, given eac h week to the outstanding performance by a New England player in Division II or III. He was the first Bates player to win the award since 1987.

McGrail's first touchdown came at 7:09 of the first quarter to give the Bobcats a 7-0 lead. The score remained 7-0 until Bowdoin converted a 1-yard run to tie the game at 7-7 with two minutes gone in the second. Junior quarterback Dan Hooley (10-18, 144 y ards, 2 TD) threw a 28-yard TD strike to McGrail at 8:39 of the second put the Bobcats up 13-7, but Bowdoin tied it on a touchdown pass with just 49 seconds left in the half, making the score 13-13 at the break.

Bates scored first in the second half, as Hooley hit junior split end Wyatt Crosswhite (2 catches, 51 yds., 1 TD) on a fourth and 12 play from the Bowdoin 22 yard line. The kick failed and the score was 19-13. Bowdoin answered with a TD of its own at 4:39 of the 3rd. The extra point made the score 20-19, Bowdoin, the only time in the game they led. McGrail scored his third TD of the game on a 3-yard run to make the score 25-20, but the 2-point conversion fell short.

Coach Rick Pardy's charges started the fourth quarter scoring at 10:39, as Hooley edged into the end zone on a 1-yard keeper and McGrail converted the 2-point run to give the Bobcats a 33-20 margin. Bowdoin was game, throwing a 25-yard TD strike and getti ng inside the Bates ten yard line three times in the last ten minutes. Bates took a safety on their last possession to close out the scoring at 33-29. Bowdoin quarterback Ramon Martinez, who had a fantastic day of his own, drove the Polar Bears to the Bat es 2 as time expired. He was stopped on the last play by junior linebacker Mike Holte and sophomore defensive lineman Brendan Cullen.
Up Next:
11/11 @ Hamilton

Volleyball Reaches Nescac Semi's, Earns Ecac Berth Matlen, Hawthorne Named To All Nescac Team

The Bates Volleyball team started the week slowly, but rallied to make the post-season for the sixth time in seven years and the ninth time in coach Marsha Graef's eleven seasons as head coach.

In a tight match, Bates began the week with a 3-2 loss to the University of New England. At the NESCAC Tournament held at Connecticut College, however, they came back to go 3-1 in pool play and earn a berth in the playoffs. After losing the first match to Colby in a match where each game was decided by less than five points, they rallied to top Amherst, who entered the tourney with a 25-8 record, 15-6, 15-13. They also hammered Bowdoin, 15-1, 15-2, and escaped Wesleyan, 15-13, 15-4 to earn second place in their pool. They faced NCAA-bound Williams in the first round and played them tough before bowing. After the tournament, senior co-captain Colleen Matlen earned All-Tournament status. Both she and junior setter Tasha Hawthorne earned All-NESCAC honors as well.

On Monday, Coach Graef learned that her team made the ECAC tournament, held at Wellesley, where they will try to get her to 25 wins in each of her first eleven seasons. They earned the fourth seed in the tournament and will take on Tufts in the first roun d. The Bobcats have a 2-1 record against the Jumbos already this season.
Up Next:
11/10 ECAC Tournament at Wellesley vs. Tufts

Women's Cross Country Places Tenth at ECAC Championships

The Bates women's cross country team finished tenth at the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference cross country championships. The Bobcats' top finisher was senior Sarah Pickard, who finished with a time of 21:41. Three first-year students, Sandra Abbott , Monique Doussard and Allison Hulbert also finished within a minute of Pickard's time.
Up Next:
11/11 NCAA Qualifiers @ Southern Maine (m & w)


for information about sports at Bates, send email to Adam Levin