LEWISTON — When freshman Evan Wolf scored Amherst’s fifth straight goal to tie the score at 8-8 with 10:54 left in the first half on Saturday afternoon at Garcelon Field, Bates College’s ambitions of an NCAA Division III men’s lacrosse championship looked to be in serious danger.

Then the Bobcats’ high-powered offense took control.

Bates ripped off a 16-1 run, led by senior Charlie Fay of Falmouth and freshman Matt Chlastawa. The two combined to score 17 goals, helping to turn a tense, competitive contest into a 26-14 win that sets up a quarterfinal matchup against another New England Small College Athletic Conference rival – Wesleyan. Wesleyan, which beat Tufts 17-8, will visit Bates on Wednesday.

Starting with a pinpoint shot by Chlastawa shot that bounced past Amherst goalie Cody Tranbarger to give Bates a 9-8 lead, the Bobcats (16-1) scored seven straight goals in a span of 5:01. Four of those goals came 55 seconds apart, as Sam Francis continued to win faceoffs for Bates after each goal.

“We have a lot of really good offensive players,” said Bates Coach Peter Lasagna, “so if we can get stops, if we can win faceoffs, our offense is going to deliver.”

After scoring eight goals, including a swift, instinctive backhand to put Bates up 19-9 with 11:30 left in the third quarter, Fay now has 72 on the season, extending his school record. He also added four assists, and his last goal gave him 160 for his career, two more than Shane Kokoruda’s previous school record.

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Fay credited Chlastawa, who scored nine goals on only 15 shots and dished out four assists, for being a dependable attacking partner.

“He’s just out there finishing,” Fay said, “and he’s one of the best in the country at doing that. It’s exciting to have him on your team, and to know that when he’s open you can give him the ball and trust that he’ll score.”

Lasagna, who praised the consistent offensive production of senior leaders Fay, Kyle Weber, Andrew Melvin, Jake Walsh and Burke Smith, was shocked when informed that Chlastawa had scored a career-high nine goals.

“Wow, I had no idea! That’s very impressive,” Lasagna said. “He’s been doing good things all year, and he picked a nice day to have nine.”

Amherst (13-5) eventually managed another five-goal spurt in the fourth quarter to cut its deficit to 24-14, but by that point the Bobcats knew they were headed to the quarterfinals. When told that his team would be playing Wesleyan (18-1), which has won 18 straight games since a season-opening 15-14 loss to Bates on March 5, Lasagna said he’s wary of the Cardinals.

“I think the two best teams in the NESCAC will be playing in Lewiston next week,” Lasagna said. “They’re really good, and they played very well against us last time. They must have played well today if they beat Tufts for the third time, so we will have our hands full.”


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