MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – On the landmark dedication day for Hicks Field, the No. 15 ranked Wesleyan field hockey team scored a landmark victory, defeating the No. 8 ranked Bates Bobcats 5-1 on Saturday afternoon. The dominating home win marks the first time that Wesleyan (5-1, 1-1 NESCAC) has defeated Bates (3-2, 1-1 NESCAC) since 2014, snapping an eight-game losing streak to the Bobcats.
 
Taking on a talented Bates squad that won 13 games last season, including a 3-0 triumph over the Cardinals last season in Maine, Wesleyan was the better side all throughout the contest. At the game's conclusion, Wesleyan recorded an 8-1 edge in penalty corners, 5-3 in saves, and 12-7 in shots attempted.
 
After keeping the ball in the Bobcats' defensive half from the opening whistle, Teddy Tolbert '28 got the scoring started with what might very well be the goal of the season. The first-year received a pass and deeked by four Bobcat defenders, carrying onto her backhand which she managed to blast high and past the starting Bates goalkeeper Kaili Jacobsen. Tolbert's second goal in as many games made it 1-0 just over eight minutes into play.

?? GOAL OF THE YEAR?? ??

Teddy Tolbert '28 makes her way past 4 Bates defenders before launching a backhander off the turf for the 1st goal in what was a convincing 5-1 Wes win ?? pic.twitter.com/5SF2jm6gw2

— Wesleyan Athletics (@wes_athletics) September 21, 2024

 
Less than four minutes later, it was suddenly 2-0 Cardinals as Ava Galdenzi '24 inserted a corner to Helen Deretchin '25 at the top of the circle. Deretchin slid a backwards pass to Imani Ochieng '25 who wound up and slid home her first goal of the season inside the left post as Wesleyan led 2-0 after one.
 
Audrey Pace '26 was called into action for the first time in the contest early in the second quarter, making saves on shots from Lilly Hogan and Anna Cote before the Cardinals added another goal off a penalty corner to make it 3-0. Deretchin inserted to Kenzie Mauro '27 at the stick stop who nudged the ball over to Georgia Adams '26 who blasted in a shot to the left side of the cage for her team-leading fifth goal of the season.
 
With work still to be done in the second half, it was Deretchin who was involved yet again in a Cardinal goal, this time scoring to give Wesleyan a 4-0 lead. Starting off a busted penalty corner play, the ball came to Brooke Miner '28 who passed to Deretchin on the left side of the circle. Lining up a backhanded shot, she hit one low off the turf and off the Bates goalkeeper's stick and in for her third goal of 2024.
 
Bates answered on their first and only penalty corner of the game, as Sophie O'Sullivan deflected in a goal right in front of cage to make it 4-1 with 8:20 left in the third quarter.
 
That momentum, however, was short lived as Wesleyan generated two penalty corner opportunities in a span of just 30 seconds, scoring on the second chance to restore the four-goal lead. Adams blasted a shot on a short corner play that was saved off the line by Bates defender Izzy Grol, but the rebound fell to Sarah Porter '27 who made no mistake, scoring her third of the year.
 
Wesleyan's defense took care of the rest of the contest, limiting chances all thoughout the fourth as the lone shot attempt (from either team) was turned aside by Pace as the Cardinals finished off a dominating 5-1 win in front of 250+ at Hicks Field.
 
Next up for Wesleyan is a Sunday NESCAC battle against No. 1 ranked Middlebury at Noon in Middletown.