LEWISTON — The Bates College field hockey team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III tournament for the second year in a row by beating Stevens Institute of Technology 4-1 on Wednesday at Campus Avenue Field.

The 14th-ranked Bobcats (13-6) will travel to Wellesley, Massachusetts, to face Babson (19-3) on Saturday. Last year, Bates lost 1-0 in overtime to the Beavers in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

“It’s really exciting, to get to return to the Sweet 16 is super special,” Bates Coach Dani Kogut said. “I think this season started off a little challenging, we had to find our footing, we had to adapt a little bit, figure out who we were, and once we did, we knew we had something really special.”

Against the Ducks (15-6), St. Dominic Academy graduate Anna Cote scored Bates’ first goal off a penalty corner about three minutes into the game.

Anna Lindeis, who set up Cote’s goal, found the back of the cage off an assist from Amanda Zerbib to extend the Bobcats’ lead to 2-0 with 1:27 left in the first half.

“It’s actually a new corner Amanda and I’ve been working really hard on this week, and it was a great setup, great stick stop,” Lindeis said. “I saw I had a little bit of time and just ripped it as hard as I could, and it went in.”

Haley Dwight scored the Bobcats’ third goal, putting in the rebound of shot by Cote that bounced off Ducks’ goalkeeper Lily Wierzbick in the third quarter.

Just 45 seconds into the fourth quarter, Emily Smart scored the Ducks’ only goal, cutting the deficit to 3-1.

The Bobcats took back the momentum when Brooke Moloney-Kolen capped the scoring with nine minutes remaining.

Wierzbick made three saves for the Ducks, while Bates keeper Ava Donohue stopped one shot.

“The result tonight doesn’t take away from the success of our season,” Stevens Coach Meredith Spencer-Blaetz said. “That’s really the messaging I gave our team. We have our conference championship, that’s something we’re really proud of.”

Over the weekend, Bates beat Middlebury, the No. 1 team in the nation, 2-1 to earn a spot in the the NESCAC championship game for the first time in program history. The Bobcats fell in the conference title game to Tufts, 1-0 on penalty corners.

“I’m so proud of the team,” Lindeis said. “I feel like we’ve come through so many obstacles and switching our formations, and the growth has been huge.”

The Bobcats appreciated having the bleachers packed for Wednesday’s game.

“It’s awesome, it reminds me a lot of last year,” Zerbib said. “I felt like last year, our first round hosting, we had a similar crowd, and it’s just super exciting to feel the support of all the Bobcats around, who are all so proud of us for making it this far.

“I think we all feel (that) from the whole school. You walk around the commons, you walk around this campus, and everyone is cheering you on and are excited to be in the stands.”

Lindeis said that Saturday continues the Bobcats’ “revenge tour,” as they seek to avenge last year’s loss, as well as a 3-0 setback to the Beavers on Sept. 11.

“We’re not the underdogs anymore, we’re an established team that has consistently been top 15,” Lindeis said. “So, I think just bringing that mindset and confidence that every game is gonna be huge for us.”