The Women’s Basketball team did it again Friday as they eliminated Merchant Marine Academy 71-57 for their first tournament win. Entering the matchup, the Bobcats ranked number two in their region while the Mariners sat at number seven.
The Bobcats fed off the energy of a home-court advantage in Alumni Gymnasium backed by a crowd of students, faculty, and parents.
“I love our women’s basketball team. I think they’re so fierce, so much fun, and we come to almost every home game, so of course, we’re going to support today,” said Rosanna Ferro, Vice President of Student Affairs, who was at the game with her family.
The Bobcats were fired up early with Sophie Spolter ‘26 capitalizing off an and-one opportunity that sparked an eruption from the crowd. The team maintained the intensity on both ends of the court, forcing multiple turnovers.
“We’re thinking of the NCAA tournament as a new season and a chance to make history for our program,” Spolter said, reflecting on the mindset the team had heading into the tournament coming off a recent conference championship.
Sarah Hughes ‘27 stripped the ball, recording a steal, which Ava James ‘26 then converted into a three-pointer. The Bobcats took another missed scoring opportunity from the Mariners on the other end, where Maya Hicks ‘27 knocked down a three-pointer of her own, sending the Mariners into a timeout.
Out of the timeout, the Bobcats didn’t slow down despite their early dominance. James made a crucial block where Hughes then capitalized off a rebounding opportunity, giving the Bobcats possession. Although Hicks missed a jumper, James secured another rebound to keep the play alive, and Spolter finished with a pull-up jumper to extend the Bobcats’ lead 15-5.
The Bobcats maintained control for the remainder of the quarter, combining defensive stops with efficient ball movement, carrying a 24-9 lead into the second.
Entering the second quarter, the Mariners briefly began to cut into the deficit, but the Bobcats quickly responded. Spolter hit a jumper, followed by Hughes extending the lead with a three-pointer off an assist from Hicks.
The Bobcats continued to apply defensive pressure. Elsa Daulerio ‘26 came up with a fierce block, where the Mariners rebounded but were unable to get a shot off before running out of time.
The Bobcats maintained strength on both ends, executing on offense with Lily Lambo ‘28 finishing a layup from Petra Kuncz ‘27. Claire Gaetani ‘29 also saw action towards the end of the quarter, knocking down a layup and three-pointer, heading into halftime 37-19.
Out of the half, the Bobcats came out with momentum, fueling fast break opportunities as James recorded a steal, which Daulerio converted to a jumper in the paint off an assist from Hicks. Spolter followed with another steal, setting up Hughes for a pull-up jumper, again assisted by Hicks.
The Bobcats continued to dominate in transition, with James knocking down a jumper from a Spolter assist, and Hughes finishing a fast break layup in the paint to extend the lead to 26 points. Hughes consistently hit timely three pointers, helping the Bobcats maintain their commanding advantage.
Late in the quarter, both teams struggled with turnovers, allowing the Mariners to chip away at the lead. Despite the 26 point lead cutting down to 18, the Bobcats still maintained defensive intensity and unselfish ball movement kept them firmly in control heading into the final quarter.
The fourth quarter tested the Bobcats as the Mariners began to cut substantially into their lead, eventually getting it down to eight, keeping the crowd on edge. For the first time in the matchup the Mariners shot more efficiently than the Bobcats, putting pressure on Bates to respond.
However, the Bobcats maintained composure. Hughes continued to knock down crucial jumpers and free throws, while Spolter added key points from the line, finishing ten-for-ten on free throws. The Bobcats also relied on strong defense and timely steals with Hicks, Kuncz, and Spolter creating fast break opportunities to sustain the lead.
Despite the late surge from the Mariners, the Bobcats held firm, ultimately securing a 71-57 win through disciplined play and selfless teamwork.
Although it wasn’t as much of a nailbiter as Bowdoin’s NESCAC Championship game, it was still one that kept fans on their toes. The Bobcats look for a win against Smith College on March 7th at 7:15 to further advance to the Sweet 16.
