LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates women's basketball team turned in its best defensive performance in a NESCAC game in 20 years on Sunday, defeating the Connecticut College Camels 59-35 at Alumni Gymnasium. 

It's the fewest points allowed in a NESCAC contest by the Bobcats (7-5, 1-0 NESCAC) since the 2002-03 season, when they held the Camels to 26 points.

Senior captain Meghan Graff (South Portland, Maine) tallied a game-high 19 points in the win, giving her 1,404 for her career. Graff ranks fifth all-time in Bates women's basketball history in scoring and is quickly approaching all-time leader Emily King '00, who finished her career with 1,478 points. Graff finished 8-18 from the field on Sunday, grabbing five rebounds, dishing out three assists, and recording a pair of steals in the win. 

Junior Morgan Kennedy (Oklahoma City, Okla.) also had a big game for the Bobcats, tallying 14 points, including 12 in the third quarter, on 5-13 shooting. Sophomore Alexandra Long (Newtown, Pa.) and first-year Elsa Daulerio (Harpswell, Maine) both added seven points on 3-5 shooting. Daulerio led Bates with seven rebounds, dished out two assists, blocked a shot, and recorded a steal. Long grabbed five rebounds, tallied two assists, and recorded a steal.

Rebecca Oberman-Levine paced the Camels (4-9, 0-2 NESCAC) with 15 points on 7-14 shooting. Charlotte Head added seven points on 3-5 shooting off the bench. 

Bates never trailed in the contest. With the score tied at four, Graff hit a three-pointer with 4:37 left in the first quarter, giving the Bobcats the lead for good. 

The Camels kept the game close, as Bates only led 11-10 after the first quarter. But first-year Sophie Spolter (Blacklick, Ohio) drilled a three late in the second quarter to put the Bobcats up by eight at 25-17 going into the halftime locker room. 

A Graff three-pointer less than a minute in to the third quarter put Bates up by 11 and the Bobcats led by double digits the rest of the way. Kennedy drilled three three-pointers in a span of less than three minutes midway through the quarter, putting Bates up 38-22 with 5:16 remaining. A Graff jumper made the score 48-27 entering the fourth quarter of action.

Bates' 23 points in the third quarter was two fewer than the Bobcats scored in the first half. 

The Bobcats held Conn. to 29.4 percent shooting from the field and the Camels went 0-9 from three-point range. Bates finished at 40.7% from the floor and connected on 9-24 from long distance.

Bates returns to action Friday when the Bobcats visit Hamilton for a 7pm tip.