WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – In the Ephs’ most highly contested game of the season, first-year Bridget Gallagher scored with 26 seconds left in regulation to notch the game winning goal for the Williams women’s soccer team (9-0-0, 5-0-0 in the NESCAC) against the visiting Bates Bobcats (3-5-1, 1-4-0).

Leading by a one-goal margin for nearly the entire contest, the Ephs could not seem to find the back of the net in the second period. Bates’ Tina Tobin scored to knot the game with just 2:45 on the clock, shocking the 3rd-ranked Ephs and the home crowd.

Tobin played up front for the whole game, typically contested by two or three Ephs defenders. The Bobcats forward found herself one-on-one outside of the 18-yard box in center field, and got a shot off that sailed to the top left corner over a leaping Ephs keeper. When it looked as though the Ephs winning streak might come to an end, Williams responded with the last-second score to up their record to 9-0 and to remain undefeated in conference play.

“After the Bates goal, I thought ‘We’ll see what we’re made of’ now,” said Williams’ head coach Michelyne Pinard. “I was pleased with our urgency, but our urgency needed to come about eighty-seven minutes sooner. We have to make sure that we learn from this moment.”

The Ephs played fairly well in the opening period, dominating time on the ball and limiting Bates to just one shot on goal. The first goal of the game came at 18:06. Annie Neil played a cross from the right side, and Bret Eisenhart collected the ball at center field before attempting at shot at goal. Sara Wild was able to calm Eisennhart’s deflected ball, and ripped a shot to the opposite corner for the 1-0 lead. It appeared to be another routine start to another dominating Ephs performance, but the half would close with the Ephs still ahead by only one goal.

“That is soccer,” commented Pinard, in regards to her team’s first half play. “We have been lucky in that we have been successful at converting our chances thus far, but it happens sometimes where you can’t, and that’s just the nature of the game.”

Bates came out in the second half looking empowered. Down by only one score against such a talented team, morale was high and the Bobcats began to attack the ball and created more opportunities for themselves at net.

“Bates came at us and put more pressure on us,” said Pinard. “We didn’t take care of the ball, and had we done that, it would be have taken care of a lot of our problems. But Bates tends to be a resilient team that feeds off their own momentum. The longer they feel they are in the game, the better they play and the more confident and effective they became.”

After Bates tied the game, the final two minutes of play looked like a return to typical Williams soccer. Brianna Wolfson found an open Eisenhart, who laced a shot to the right corner of net. Bates’ keeper dove to stop it, managed to halt it for a moment, but the ball came loose behind her. Gallagher, smartly positioned on the right post, tapped the loose ball in to put the Ephs ahead, 2- 1.

Williams will host Trinity tomorrow at noon on Cole Field.