LEWISTON, Me. – The Wesleyan women's basketball team gave No. 12 ranked Bates all they could handle on Sunday afternoon, playing to a tied score with under one minute remaining in regulation, only to see Sarah Hughes net a game-winning basket with 35 seconds left, sending the Bobcats to a 65-61 win.
 
A thrilling late ending spoiled a pair of sensational performances from Meghan Kirck '28 and Olivia Quinn '26 as the Cardinal pair scored 53 of Wesleyan's 61 total points. Kirck made history, tying the single-game team record for most made three-pointers, as the sophomore guard went 7-for-11 from beyond the arc on her way to a career-high 29-point effort. Quinn also had a monster showing, going 4-for-8 from three to finish with 24 points in defeat.
 
Both teams shot well over 50 percent from the floor in the first quarter, combining for 42 points in the first 10 minutes of play. Kirck hit three from long range to score 13 points in the first quarter alone while Quinn was a perfect 3-for-3 from the floor, as the tandem combined to score all 20 of the Cardinals' points in the frame.
 
Bates opened a 10-point lead in the second quarter, only to see Quinn sink a three and the Cardinals cut into the deficit to make it a 40-35 game at the half.
 
Wesleyan made their move in the third quarter, outscoring the Bobcats 16-9 in the stanza to hold a lead entering the fourth quarter. Quinn sank a jumper to send the Cardinals into the lead with four minutes left in the third. Quinn connected from three just under two minutes later and Alli Jones '27 drained a jumper on the next possession to hand the Cardinals their largest lead at 51-45.
 
The Cardinal offense couldn't get much going in the fourth quarter, staying in the game despite making just two field goals in the opening 8+ minutes. Wesleyan's defense kept the Cardinals in the game and Kirck drained her seventh three-pointer of the game to lower the deficit and after Ali Murphy '27 forced a Bates turnover, Quinn buried a layup to tie the score at 61 apiece with 1:15 left.
 
 With a chance to take the lead, Wesleyan committed a costly turnover with 45 seconds left, handing the ball back to Bates who took a timeout and drew up a play for Hughes who connected on a jumper. Quinn's game-tying attempt with 15 seconds left hit the rim and now forced to foul, the Cardinals saw Hughes step to the line and drain both free throws to put the game away.
 
As a team, Wesleyan went 11-for-21 from three, their second-most made three-pointers in a game this season while the 52.4 three-point shooting percentage is a single-game season-high for the Cardinals. The Cardinals also took great care of the basketball, committing a season-low seven turnovers in the game, which played a role in Wesleyan outscoring Bates 20-4 in points off turnovers.
 
The Cardinals head back to Maine for the final weekend of the regular season, starting on Friday night with a 7 PM tip at Bowdoin.