LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates women's basketball team used a relentless defensive effort to take command of the game early in a 58-37 win over WPI Sunday afternoon at Alumni Gym. 

The Bobcats (5-0) held the Engineers (4-3) to just two points in the first quarter, the fewest points allowed in one quarter by Bates since NCAA women's basketball switched from two halves to four quarters prior to the 2015-16 season. The Engineers managed just 10 points in the entire first half, the fewest points Bates has allowed in one half since 2013.

On top of that, the Bobcats won the game despite no single Bobcat scoring more than nine points. It's the first time since at least the 1995-96 season the Bobcats have won a game where no Bates player scored in double figures. 

All 11 Bobcats who played scored points. First-years Mya Hicks (Ann Arbor, Mich.) and Sarah Hughes (Rumson, N.J.) led the way with nine points apiece. Hicks connected on 3-5 from three-point range while Hughes grabbed six rebounds and dished out two assists. Both players also tallied two steals.

Sophomore Elsa Daulerio (Harpswell, Maine) chipped in eight points, a game-high seven rebounds, and three rebounds. Senior Alyson Kennedy (Oklahoma City, Okla.) recorded a game-high three steals and sophomore Ava James (Bethesda, Md.) dished out a game-high four assists. Junior Alexandra Long (Newtown, Pa.) added six points, five rebounds, and a pair of blocked shots.

The Bobcats led from the jump, scoring the first eight points of the game. Adrianna Niles got the Engineers on the board with a 10-foot jumper with 2:58 left in the first quarter, cutting the Bates lead to 8-2. Then the hosts ended the quarter on an 11-0 run to lead 19-2. Hughes provided a huge spark off the bench, converting an old-fashioned three-point play and following up a three-pointer from sophomore Sophie Spolter (Blacklick, Ohio) with one of her own as Bates blitzed WPI down the stretch of the opening quarter. Spolter found Hughes for a jumper with three seconds left to open up the 17-point lead.

Alyson Kennedy got things going in the second quarter with the first four points, making the score 23-2 before WPI's Emmy Allyn hit a jumper with 8:30 left until halftime. 

The Bobcats never looked back though, taking a 40-10 lead into halftime. Bates led by as many as 33 points in the contest, going up 43-10 on a free throw by Daulerio with 8:46 left in the third quarter.

Alice Kelly paced the Engineers with a game-high 11 points on 4-7 shooting. Niles added 10 points on 4-11 shooting and grabbed a team-high five rebounds.

Bates dominated most statistical categories, tallying 14 points off turnovers to WPI's seven. Rebounding went the host's way, with Bates pulling down 44 boards to 27 for the visitors. The Bobcats also had 14 second-chance points while the Engineers had three. Points in the paint favored Bates 24-14.

The Bobcats are back in action Tuesday when they visit Husson for a 7:30pm tip. Bates' 5-0 record is the program's best start to a season since 2004-05, when the Bobcats won their first 12 games and rose to No. 1 in the nation.