Williamsburg, Va. - The William and Mary field hockey team dropped a narrow 3-2 decision to CAA foe VCU on Saturday night at Busch Field. The Green and Gold jumped out to a 2-0 advantage in the opening 11 minutes of the contest, but VCU's Kesley Sherrer netted a hat trick including the game-winner with just over three minutes remaining. The College fell to 6-9 overall and 1-5 in CAA play, while VCU upped its ledger to 5-12 and 2-4 in league action.

Each team traded two-goal spurts in the opening 35 minutes of play. The Green and Gold jumped on the board first thanks to a goal from junior midfielder Leah Zamesnik at the 7:46 mark. The Norfolk, Va., native dribbled into the circle from the left side and sent an initial shot on goal that was blocked by VCU goalkeeper Erin Jablonski. A scrum in front of the cage ensued, but Zamesnik was able to follow up her own rebound, finishing into the right side boards for her seventh goal of the season.

Exactly three minutes later the Tribe struck again, extending its margin to 2-0. Sophomore reserve Taylor Hodge scored on a hard shot from the far right side of the penalty area to the lower left boards for her second goal of the season. Junior Ashley Kyle registered her first assist of the year on the play as she fed the ball forward to Hodge.

The Rams pulled one back in the 16th minute of play on some nice individual effort from junior Kelsey Scherrer. The VCU forward stole the ball from a Tribe defender just outside the circle and went around sliding Tribe goalkeeper Camilla Hill to the right, before finishing into the center of an open goal.

It was again Scherrer in the 28th minute of play who evened the contest for the Rams. Hill saved the initial Haley McBee shot from in front of the cage, but the rebound fell to Scherrer on the right side of the area. She dribbled toward the end line and finished over the top of the Tribe goalkeeper into the right side of the net.

Coming out of the half, the Tribe started to control play, keeping the ball in its offensive half of the field for large chunks of time. W&M generated a number of chances off penalty corners, but each time VCU goalkeeper Jablonski was up to the task with a save. She finished with six stops on the evening in earning the victory. 

With just 3:08 remaining, VCU cashed in just its second shot of the second half. Sherrer weaved through traffic into the right side of the penalty area, before hitting a shot into the left-side boards for her third marker of the game. The junior forward upped her season total to nine with the hat trick.

The College dominated the stat sheet, especially in the second half, but could not find the finishing touch. For the game, W&M outshot the Rams, 15-8, including a 10-2 advantage in the second 35 minutes of play. The Green and Gold also had a distinct advantage in penalty corners with seven compared to VCU's three.

W&M will close out the home portion of its schedule with Senior Day on Sunday, Oct. 23, at 1 p.m. against James Madison. The Tribe will honor its quartet of seniors, Lynsey Clyburn, Caitlyn Davies, Camilla Hill and Ashley Kintzing, prior to the contest against the Duke.