BATES WOMEN EXCOMMUNICATE MONKS, 69-53

STANDISH, Maine - The Saint Joseph's College Monks were in trouble from the very beginning, as a botched version of the National Anthem provided a preview of what was to come against the visiting Bates College Bobcats, as Bates took a 69-53 decision.

"I tried to hold it back," said forward Kate McLaughlin (Lebanon, N.H.). "But you know how laughter starts and you just can't stop it."

The game was close buy low-scoring for the early part of the first half. With Bates leading, 15-13, with eight minutes remaining in the opening stanza, the Bobcats went on a 26-15 run over the next five and a half minutes. Bates took its biggest lead of the first half on an offensive rebound by first-year guard Sarah Williamson (Plainfield, N.J.), and Bates took a 31-21 lead into the lockerroom. In the second half, the Bobcats maintained their 10-point cushion over the first five minutes before going on an 18-8 run over an eight minute span that put the game out of reach at 53-33 with 7:50 remaining.

Bates was led by junior forward Emily King (Lebanon, N.H.), who had a game-high 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Williamson had a career-high 12 points off the bench on five-of-seven shooting, including both of her 3-point attempts. Junior guard Jolene Thurston (Post Mills, Vt.) had 12 points on six-of-nine shootiing. Sophomore Katy Dutille (Lebanon, N.H.) had eight rebounds, while senior guard Colleen McCrave (Walpole, Mass.) had seven assists and five steals.

Bates 69, St. Joseph's 53

Bates (69): Val Rosenberg 0-0-0, Kate Dockery 0-0-0, Colleen McCrave
2-0-4, Kate McLaughlin 4-0-8, Melissa LaPointe 2-1-5, Amy Taylor 0-0-0,
Liz Grace 0-0-0, Sarah Williamson 5-0-12, Kristen Porter 0-0-0, Jolene
Thurston 6-0-12, Katy Dutille 3-3-9, Emily King 7-3-17, Beth Frissora
0-0-0, Heather Thomson 1-0-2, Lisa Dulude 0-0-0, TOTALS 30-7-69.

St. Joseph's (53): Mary Gill 0-2-2, Jen Marsh 2-0-4, Suzanne Picard 3-2-8,
Alisha Wood 2-1-5, Kendra Brown 4-1-9, Stacey Gelinas 4-2-12, Michelle
LeMire 0-0-0, Sara Beane 2-0-4, Shannon Field 3-1-8, Cassie Turcotte
0-0-0, Mandy Reed 0-1-1, Jocelyn Paris 0-0-0, TOTALS 20-10-53.

Halftime: Bates, 31-21.

3-Pt. FG: Bates 2 (Williamson 2), SJC 3 (Gelinas 2, Field)

Records: Bates 17-1, SJC 18-5.