The University of Richmond women’s lacrosse team opened up conference play with a dominant 20-4 victory over George Mason University on March 8.
The Spiders broke away from their four game losing streak with a major win against the Patriots. UR delivered a well-rounded performance, holding the lead the entire contest through strong offensive and defensive efforts.
The first quarter proved to be a slow start for both teams. Richmond opened the game with a goal by junior attacker Charlotte Edwards. A scoring drought then incited until Richmond recorded another goal with six minutes on the clock. The Spiders held GMU to 2-0 in the quarter, with sophomore goalkeeper Abby Francioli saving both of the Patriots’ shots on goal. GMU also showed a strong presence defensively with six saves.
The Patriots rocketed into the second quarter, outscoring the Spiders 3-1 in the first four minutes. Richmond fired back with a 7-0 run, taking the lead 10-3 at the break. Senior attacker Colleen Quinn led the charge with three goals. The Patriots only recorded one shot on goal during the run, struggling to find openings.
Freshman goalkeeper Maggie Mullen’s performance boosted the Spiders further ahead in the third quarter. Richmond narrowly led the Patriots 6-5 in shots on goal, but Mullen recorded four saves while GMU only recorded one. Richmond opened the period with a 3-0 run that the Patriots snapped with five minutes remaining on the clock. The Spiders carded two more goals, leading 15-4 at the buzzer.
Richmond continued to dominate the field, holding the Patriots goalless in the final quarter. GMU once again struggled to find scoring opportunities, only recording two shots while the Spiders recorded seven. Freshman midfielder Chloe Conti picked up her first and second career goals back-to-back. UR closed out the game with a 5-0 run, downing the Patriots 20-4.
“It was a really fun game today," Head Coach Anne Harrington said in a postgame interview. “They came out really strong, ready to go. We knew they would be. They're hard dodgers and fought challenges on the circle with the draw. ”
Quinn delivered an electric performance, pacing the Spiders with six goals and an assist.
“A lot of my goals were assisted, so shout out to my teammates for getting those,” Quinn said. “It was a good day.”
She has proved to be an asset for Richmond this season along with junior midfielder Grace Muldoon, who have been consistent top scorers for the team. Muldoon reached a major career milestone with the game, recording 100 goals.
“Those two are really unselfish players and they're always ready to set up their teammates for a point. So I think it's nice to see that come back to them, too, with Grace and that milestone.”
In its next Atlantic 10 matchup, Richmond will face Davison College on March 12 in Davidson N.C at 2 p.m.
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The Spiders have seen tremendous success against the Wildcats in the last few seasons, with eight straight wins. In the two teams’ last matchup, the Spiders took a decisive 16-5 victory over Davidson. Despite the past success, Richmond remains alert for the game, preparing to face the Wildcats.
Contact sports editor Abigail Finney at abigail.finney@richmond.edu
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