MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The Wesleyan women's basketball team hung with No. 25 ranked Bates for the first half, but the Bobcats proved too much in the end thanks to a 20-8 third quarter, defeating the Cardinals 71-56 on Saturday afternoon from Silloway Gymnasium. The Cardinals (11-11, 2-8 NESCAC) finish the season outside of playoff qualification while the Bobcats (20-4, 8-2 NESCAC) are the #3 seed entering the NESCAC Tournament next weekend.
 
Needing a win for a spot at a postseason berth, the Cardinals had a tall task in front of them facing the nationally-ranked Bobcats, but Wesleyan was up to the task all throughout the first half. Neither side led by more than four points in the first quarter, with both teams hitting six field goals with no three-pointers or made free throws. Bates went up 4-0 and again 8-4, but the Cardinals responded with a 6-0 run with Alli Jones '27 hitting a pair of layups down low and the score was tied at 12 after one.
 
The Bobcats charged forward at the start of the second, scoring seven unanswered to take a 19-12 lead. Bates continued to hold a two-possession lead with under four minutes remaining in the first half, before Tori DaCosta '25 hit a long range jumper and Olivia Quinn '26 splashed a three-pointer to cut the deficit. DaCosta hit again from the mid-range to tie the score 28-28, but Sarah Hughes hit a clutch three in the closing seconds, giving Bates the 31-28 halftime lead.
 
That Hughes three-pointer loomed large at the start of the second half, with Bates going on a 11-3 run to build a 42-30 lead near the midway point of the third quarter. That double-digit advantage held for the remainder of the quarter as Bates took a 51-36 lead into the fourth.
 
The Cardinals continued to fight down the stretch, putting together an 8-2 run to open the frame, cutting the deficit down to single digits at 53-44 with 8:16 left. However, that was as close as Wesleyan would get for the remainder of play as Bates shot 9-of-16 (56.3 percent) in the final quarter to close out a 15-point road win.
 
Felicia Fongemie '27 led the Cardinals in scoring with 14 points, finishing her rookie season leading the team with 320 points (14.5 per game). Alli Jones '27 finished her season on a high note with a career-high 13 points in 24 minutes. Quinn finished with seven points and eight rebounds while DaCosta added eight points and eight rebounds.
 
Morgan Kennedy led all scorers with 16 points for the Bobcats while Sophie Spolter finished with 14 points and six assists, Davina Kabantu recorded 13 points and nine rebounds, and Elsa Daulerio tallied eight points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks.
 
This contest closes out the careers of Maggie Lee '23, Madi Gomez '24, Abby Gray '24, and Alana Jones '24 as the Cardinals celebrated the group of four prior to the start of play.