The William and Mary field hockey team mounted a furious rally in the second half, controlling play over the final 20 minutes before ultimately falling to Richmond 2-1 Sunday afternoon at Busch Field.  The Tribe is now 6-4 on the year, while the Spiders improved to 6-5 overall.

The match was a defensive struggle from the get-go, with the Tribe repeatedly frustrating Richmond's attempts to get an early goal.  Senior goalkeeper Camilla Hill (Williamsburg, Va.) played outstanding, making nine of her season-high 14 saves in the first half as she gave her teammates a chance to get on the board.  The Tribe's best chance came in the 19th minute, as sophomore Chaney Manganello (Richmond, Va.) sent a shot in from 18 yards out that freshman Brittany Hopkins (Springfield, Va.) tried to tip into the cage.  The angle proved too great, however, and the ball sailed just over the crossbar.  Richmond would eventually breakthrough in the 32nd minute, scoring on a sequence that included no fewer than three tipped-balls around the front of the goal to go up 1-0 at the break.

The second half found the Tribe on the attack much more, taking six shots and drawing four corners compared to three and none in the first 35 minutes.  Hill continued to aggressively defend her goal, making five more stops including back-to-back saves just four seconds apart, but Richmond would eventually add a second goal in the 49th minute.  W&M answered six minutes later, cutting the lead back to a single goal on a tip-in by freshman Lindsey Buckheit (East Greenwich, R.I.).  Classmate Emma Clifton (Loomberah, NSW, Australia) whacked a shot from the dotted line 20 yards out, and Buckheit was lurking at the far post to get the tip-in and score her second goal of the season.  The Tribe continued to pressure the Spiders over the final 15 minutes, earning two more corners, but the ball continued to be turned out or slide just wide of goal.

William and Mary heads back on the road next weekend with games at Drexel and at Towson, on Friday and Sunday, respectively.