RADFORD, Va.— Peyton Costello found the back of the net in her collegiate debut on Thursday night, but William & Mary women's soccer ultimately fell in their season opener, 4-1 at Radford.
 
Despite the result, the visiting Green and Gold controlled things for much of the first half.
 
Returning 23 players from last year's CAA semifinal team, the Tribe flexed their veteran savvy, dominating play on both ends in the early going, but were unable to find the back of the net in the first 45 minutes.
 
The first scoring chance of the evening came from Madison Moon in the 3^rd minute. The junior corralled a bouncing ball and fired from just outside the 18-yard box, but the attempt missed just high, and the score remained 0-0 early.
 
W&M continued to maintain possession in the opening minutes, with Ivey Crain forcing a stop from the Radford keeper in the 10^th minute. Keeping the pedal down, the Tribe earned a total of four corners in the first 13 minutes.
 
The 18^th minute was the first time the Highlanders were able to maintain possession in their own attacking half, but the W&M backline was up for the challenge and quickly thwarted the effort.
 
Radford's first real scoring chance came 10 minutes later when a Highlander seemed to be in on goal from the right wing, but Leila Greene recovered nicely and forced a weak attempt that was casually played by Morgan Wood in goal for the Tribe.
 
Neither team could find the back of the net before the half as the teams went to the break tied 0-0. The Tribe held a 5-0 advantage in shots after the first 45 minutes.
 
Radford's first shot of the game was no doubt a momentous one, scoring off a corner two minutes into the half, taking a 1-0 lead.
 
The reigning back-to-back Big South champions quickly grew their lead with goals in the 57^th and 58^th minutes, making it 3-0.
 
W&M looked to get on the board two minutes later when Gabriella Kurtas won the ball away from a Highlander and dished the ball off to Crain whose shot narrowly missed the outside post from 15 yards away.
 
The breakthrough came in the 69^th minute for the Tribe, when Costello settled the ball off a Kurtas cross and fired a sharp angle shot that deflected off the goalie, off the post, and into the back of the net to make it 3-1.
 
Wood made a stop later in the half to keep the deficit at two, setting up chances for Crain, Molly Widderich and Mia Suchora to make it a one-goal match, but none were able to find the back of the net and it remained 3-1 Radford.
 
Crain had two more close calls down the stretch, but the Highlanders added an insurance goal in the 83^rd minute, taking a 4-1 win the season opener for both teams.
 
The Tribe held the advantage in the shot category 17-6, but the Highlanders capitalized on their fewer chances, placing five of their six shots on frame.
 
The loss is the first non-conference setback for W&M since September of 2022, after posting an unbeaten non-conference mark a season ago.
 
Starters
W&M- #1 Wood (GK), #2 Wilson, #8 Iglesias, #9 Sellers, #13 Green-Orset, #15 Widderich, #23 Crain, #25 McClure, #27 Suchora, #32 Greene, #33 Moon
RAD- #1 Phillips (GK), #2 Clayton, #4 Olson, #6 Stevens, #7 Willson, #9 Kertgate, #15 Albers, #18 Short, #27 Nottingham, #35 Fitzpatrick
 
Scoring
48'|RAD- Helena Short (June Stevens)
57'|RAD- Lilly Short (June Stevens)
58'|RAD- Eileen Albers (June Stevens)
69'|W&M- Peyton Costello (Gabriella Kurtas)
83'|RAD- Ava Kertgate (Paige Olson)
 
Up Next
The Tribe will have the weekend off before facing off with Old Dominion in their home opener on Aug. 22. Kick is set for 7 p.m. at Martin Family Stadium and will be broadcast on FloFC.