Amanda Gifford '12

For all intents and purposes, the Bates women’s soccer team needed a win over Wesleyan on Saturday in order to keep their hopes alive for a return to the NESCAC Championship. First-year forward Amanda Gifford (Lee, Maine) essentially delivered that win when her goal 41 seconds into second overtime decided the game 2-1 in Bates’ favor. When senior Jen Marino lunged to beat a defender to the ball and her kick caromed off of Wesleyan’s left goalpost, Gifford was there to beat another Cardinal defender to the loose ball, and she poked the ball past the foot of a third Wesleyan defender and into the lower right corner of the net.

Women’s soccer (6-7, 2-6 NESCAC) finishes the regular season at Colby this Friday at 3 p.m., needing a win or a tie to earn a return trip to the NESCAC Championship, which has expanded to an eight-team field this season.