LEWISTON — Despite a career-high 19 points from Kirsten Prue, the Bowdoin College women’s basketball team dropped a 63- 57 non-conference decision at Bates College on Thursday evening.

The Polar Bears ended their first semester schedule with a 3-4 record, while the Bobcats improved to 4-5.

The teams will play the New England Small College Athletic Conference game on Jan. 12 in Brunswick.

Former Edward Little High School standout Prue nailed five 3-pointers to reach her career-best output for the Polar Bears, scoring 19 points to go with four assists. Megan Phelps had 14 points and six boards, while Kaitlin Donahoe added 11 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Alli Beaulieu scored a game-high 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Bates, while Taryn O’Connell had 11 points.

Both teams hovered around 35-percent shooting for the game, but Bates held a decisive 48-29 edge in rebounding and connected on 16-of-18 from the free-throw line compared to just 4-of-8 for the Polar Bears.

The Bobcats held a 30-24 lead at halftime, but Bowdoin drew even quickly after the break and took its first lead of the period after consecutive 3-pointers by Sara Binkhorst and Donahoe with under 13 minutes to take a 43-41 lead.

Bowdoin extended its lead to four points before a 9-0 Bates run, capped by an O’Connell 3-pointer, gave the hosts a 52-47 edge with 4:46 to go.

Bowdoin drew within a single point after a Prue trey, 56-55 with 2:30 remaining, but failed to get over the hump as Beaulieu made all four of her free throws to close it out.

The Polar Bears will return to action in their annual Bowdoin Holiday Invitational December 29-30 at Morrell Gymnasium. Bowdoin will host Clarkson in the opening day of the tournament at 2 p.m.