WILLIAMSBURG - Behind a breakout performance from sophomore Ashley Kyle (San Diego, Calif.), the William and Mary field hockey team used an offensive explosion to put away Davidson 5-3 at Busch Field on Friday afternoon. With the win, the Tribe improves to 2-3 on the year, while Davidson suffers its first loss and falls to 4-1.

Box Score



Under picturesque skies well-suited to her home state, Kyle scored the first-ever points of her career after coming on as a substitute and in fact collected five of them, on two goals and an assist. Her first goal proved to be the eventual game-winner, providing just enough deflection on an outside shot by senior Erica Eng (Morristown, N.J.) to bend the ball around Davidson's keeper and in. Two other players also scored their first-ever points, as sophomore Allison Moran (Wynnewood, Pa.) assisted on Kyle's second goal of the afternoon, and senior Danielle Scissom (Virginia Beach, Va.) blasted in a shot from the top of the circle just before halftime to tie the score at 2-2.

Davidson nearly got the scoring going early, when Tribe keeper Camilla Hill (Williamsburg, Va.) was caught out on a challenge and the Wildcats' Finley Amato had an open look at the net in the ninth minute. Sophomore defender Maria Caro (Martinsville, N.J.) was there, however, to make the stop and pick up her third defensive save of her career. Ten minutes later, Amato had another chance that she would convert to put the visitor's up 1-0, knocking in the rebound after a teammate's shot was kicked away by Hill.

The Tribe would answer quickly, however, as Kyle found senior Liz Loudy (Midlothian, Va.) in front and Loudy was able to force the ball past the Davidson keeper. It was the second career goal for Loudy. Davidson retook the lead in the 29th minute on a breakaway, as Hill and the defense converged to challenge Davidson's leading scorer, Jennie Mostellar. Mostellar slotted a pass through to the backside of the play and found teammate Gray Robinson, who knocked home the score.

Once again, the Green and Gold would respond to tie the score quickly. On a penalty corner opportunity, one of three in the half for W&M, senior Rebecca Wagner (Virginia Beach, Va.) sent the pass directly to Scissom at the top of the circle. Scissom wound up and ripped the ball through the shooting area and into the backboard for her first-ever goal, then sprinted back down field for a high-five from Hill.

Coming out of the break, William and Mary refused to let off any pressure, and took the lead for the first and final time just two-and-a-half minutes in. On the attack, Eng took a shot from the edge of the circle that Kyle was able to get her stick on and redirect just enough to clear the keeper and find the back of the cage. Four minutes later, off another penalty corner, Eng was again able to provide an assist to a teammate. Stopping the ball at the top of the circle, Eng quickly flipped it over to Caro who rocketed a shot at the goal and banged it into the far boards for her third career score and 4-2 lead.

Off of the restart, Davidson was able to drive down the field and tried to re-enact the play that scored their second goal. Caro was there to make the heads-up play, however, and dove on the ball to prevent the tally. It was ruled a dangerous play by the officials and Davidson was aawarded a penalty stroke, but Hill stood tall and turned away the opportunity to preserve the two-goal lead. Kyle would put the game out of reach shortly thereafter in the 45th minute, as Moran fed the ball through the defense on a breakaway and Kyle was able to beat the keeper on the challenge.

The Wildcats would score once more, in the 49th minute on a tip-in, but Hill would add five more saves in the final 20 minutes to preserve the victory. Total in the game, Hill made 10 stops, moving into 11th all-time at W&M with 125 career saves. The Tribe's five assists mark the third-most ever in a single match, and are the most since six helpers were credited against Kent State in 2005.

William and Mary returns to Busch Field tomorrow at 3 p.m., taking on the Quakers of Pennsylvania.