MIDDLETOWN, Conn. — Trailing 9-7 with 2:19 remaining in the third quarter, Division III No. 5-ranked/North Atlantic Division Champion Bates College outscored Division III No. 4/Colonial Division Champion the United States Coast Guard Academy 6-3 the rest of the way to garner a 13-12 come-from-behind win in the fourth and final game of the 2018 Men’s Division III Collegiate Club Championship’s opening round at Wesleyan University.
Courtesy the win, Bates advances to a 9:10 p.m. semifinal showdown against Division III No. 6 Tufts University as the Bobcats will aim to improve on its previous placements of Third (2017), Fifth (2000), Seventh (2002) and 10th (2001). Bates is guaranteed to finish no lower than Fourth in the final tournament standings thanks to its semifinal berth.
Coast Guard jumped out to an early lead in the game by ripping off back-to-back-to-back goals to start the contest and jump out to a 3-0 margin. Bates ralled back to pull even by the end of the first quarter at four-all prior to moving ahead 6-4 with 5:00 left in the second quarter.
The Bears answered, however, to balance the scoreboard at seven-all by halftime prior to carrying its momentum in the third quarter to reacquire the lead at 9-7 with 2:19 on the clock.
Bates responded in kind as Kyle Crans (1:15) and Ollie Penner (44 seconds) erased the Bobcats’ deficit before James Calhoon put his team in front to stay with a strike at the four seconds mark to make it 10-9.
Crans padded the margin to 12-9 with consecutive goals at the 6:14 and 5:07 marks of the fourth quarter before Ryan Fisse fired in the eventual game-winner with 4:40 on the clock to make it 13-9.
Coast Guard was ready (semper paratus) to respond, however, Alexander Hwang (Fr., University Place, Wash.) connected on consecutive man-up opportunities at 2:52 and 1:34 to shrink the Bears’ gap to 13-11. Frank Joslin (So., Chicago, Ill.) appeared to put Coast Guard on the doorstep of forcing overtime as he buried another man-up chance with 55 seconds to go, but Bates was able to run down the clock and toughen on defense to hang on for a 13-12 victory.
For Bates, Crans and Player of the Game Calhoon both score four times, while Alexander Rolph and Fisse both found the back of the cage twice. Penner put away one shot and goalie Charlie Nadel turned away four shots to earn the win.
Coast Guard, which will face Heartland Division Champion Grinnell College at 8:00 p.m. with a spot in the Fifth Place game on the line, received five goals from Jake Bradley (Jr., Turlock, Calif.), three by Hwang and pairs by Joslin and Miguel Hernandez (So., Miami, Fla.). Netminder Owen Kratowicz (Jr., Stafford, Va.) stopped 12 shots in taking the loss.
Overall, the Bears will have a chance to either establish a new mark or tie the second best finish in program history at the Division III Club Championship after previously placing Fourth (2008 at Villanova University), Sixth (2012 at Middlebury College) and Seventh (2017 at Middlebury) in its previous three trips.
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| U.S. Coast Guard Academy | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | – | 12 |
| Bates College | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | – | 13 |
| Bates Goals: | James Calhoon (4); Kyle Crans (4); Alexander Rolph (2); Ryan Fisse (2); Ollie Penner | |||||
| Coast Guard Goals: | Jake Bradley (5); Alexander Hwang (3); Miguel Hernandez (2); Frank Joslin (2); | |||||
| Saves: | Bates – Charlie Nadel (4) ; Coast Guard – Owen Kratowicz (12) | |||||
| Exclusions: | Bates – 7 ; Coast Guard – 10 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | Bates – 3-for-10 ; Coast Guard – 5-for-7 | |||||
| Sprints: | Bates – 1-for-4 (3rd) ; Coast Guard – 3-for-4 (1st, 2nd, 4th) | |||||
| Cards/Misconducts: | None | |||||
| Officials: | Dennis Kinne, Gabriel Maldonado | |||||
United States Coast Guard Academy’s Zach Kayser looks for an opening as Bates College’s Ryan Fisse (#3) starts to move in
Bates College’s Alexander Rolph (#17) prepares to drop off a pass as the United States Coast Guard Academy’s Zach Kayser (#8) looks on
Bates College’s Ryan Fisse looks to shoot
United States Coast Guard Academy’s Zach Kayser (#8) attempts to split Bates College’s Ryan Fisse (#3) and James Calhoon (#8)
