WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - The William & Mary field hockey team struck three times over a 2:32 stretch in the first half on the way to its third straight victory, downing Central Michigan, 6-1, on Sunday afternoon at Busch Field. Senior Pippin Saunders led the way scoring twice in 15 seconds during the first-half run and added an assist, while sophomore Erin Menges chipped in a goal and two assists for the second straight contest. W&M upped its season ledger to 3-1, while Central Michigan wrapped up its two-match trip to Virginia at 0-4 on the year.

After an uneventful 20 minutes, the Tribe broke through in a flurry, scoring three times over only 2:32 of game time. Saunders cashed in the first two in a minuscule 15 seconds at the 22:23 mark. The first came off a penalty corner when senior Peyton Smith found her at the left post, and Saunders redirected it in. The assist was the first of Smith's Tribe career.

Saunders quickly pushed the margin to two as she raced down the right sideline, breaking free from the Central Michigan defense. The two-time First Team All-CAA pick carried into the right side of the circle and lifted a shot into the left netting for her fifth marker of the season. It also marked the 30th of her Tribe career.

Sophomore Cammie Lloyd scored her fourth goal of the weekend at the 24:55 mark to extend the Tribe cushion to 3-0. Sophomore Erin Menges sent a long pass from the midfield into the area, and Lloyd got on the end of it and one-timed a shot into the center netting. The Tribe took a 3-0 cushion to the locker room after dominating the Chippewas with a 10-1 margin in shots and a 5-0 cushion in penalty corners.

W&M wasted little time out of the intermission increasing its advantage. Menges sent a hard shot, turned pass on cage, and sophomore Emma MacLeod redirected it into the right side boards from in close. It was MacLeod's second goal of the season, while Menges tallied her team-leading fifth assist.  

The Green and Gold cashed in another penalty corner chance in the 61st minute. Menges lifted a shot from the top of the circle into the center netting off an insert from Saunders and a stick stop by sophomore Estelle Hughes. It was Menges' third goal of the campaign, and the second assist for both Saunders and Hughes. The helper was the 20th of Saunders' collegiate career, moving her into third on the Tribe's career list.

Junior Olivia Hajek added the capper for W&M with just over four minutes remaining. Senior Esty Byrd centered a pass to Hajek in the middle of the area. Central Michigan's Sadie Lynn Reynolds was up to the task stopping Hajek initial shot, but she jumped on the rebound and scored into the center boards.

Central Michigan's lone goal of the game came with no time remaining. The Chippewas earned a penalty corner in the final seconds and Kianne Hinkle inserted to Kaysie Gregory along the left side. Senior goalkeeper Meredith Savage was able to get a pad to Gregory's hard shot, but it ended in the upper netting for her fourth goal of the year.

Savage finished with three saves in goal for W&M, while Reynolds made 10 stops on the other side. The Tribe held a commanding 26-7 advantage in shots and a 10-2 cushion in penalty corners.

The Tribe returns to action when it hits the road for a pair of matches against top-20 competition next week. W&M travels to No. 16 Old Dominion on Friday, Sept. 11, at 7 p.m., before trekking to No. 5 Duke on Sunday, Sept. 13, at 1 p.m.