BATES vs AMHERST | 11 AM ET | STATS | WATCH
No. 4 Bates hosts a rare all-NESCAC regional this weekend as No. 25 Amherst, No. 18 Williams, and No. 6 Tufts arrive in Lewiston for the Sweet 16 and Elite 8. Bates (15–3), fresh off its first-ever NESCAC title and three straight shutouts, opens against Amherst (9–8) on Saturday at 11 a.m. Tufts (15–3) and Williams (9–8) meet at 2 p.m., with winners advancing to Sunday’s quarterfinal for a trip to the Final Four.
Bates enters with a program-record 15 wins, a top-four national seed, and elite defensive form behind goalkeeper Ava Donohue, the NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year. The Bobcats defeated both Amherst and Williams earlier this season and are 26–0 the past two years when scoring first.
Amherst arrives after a dramatic 2–1 upset of No. 10 Stevens, surviving a seven-round shootout behind goalkeeper Grace Puchalski. The Mammoths, led by Justine Liguori and first-year Emma Zhang, seek their first quarterfinal since 1999.
TUFTS vs WILLIAMS | 2 PM ET | STATS | WATCH
No. 6 Tufts (15–3) enters the weekend after an 11–0 first-round rout over Dean, the largest scoring output in program history and tied for the NCAA DIII tournament record. The Jumbos, making their 16th NCAA appearance, face Williams at 2 p.m. Saturday. Tufts owns one of the nation’s top offenses (3.61 gpg) led by Hannah Biccard’s NESCAC-best 15 goals, and anchors its defense with All-American goalkeeper Lydia Eastburn (1.05 GAA).
No. 18 Williams (9–8) advanced with a 4–0 victory over Vassar, extending their NCAA home streak to 5–0. The Ephs feature NESCAC Offensive Player of the Year Kiki Higgins (12 goals, 7 assists) and All-American goalie Ellie Smith (0.95 GAA). Williams beat Tufts 3–1 early in the season, though Tufts has dominated the series historically, including last year’s NCAA semifinal win.