CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Playing its fifth nationally-ranked opponent of the season, William & Mary turned in a strong second-half performance but dropped a 4-1 decision to No. 3 Virginia on Sunday afternoon.
 
For the second-straight game, the Tribe used the senior combination of Kellen Richbourg to Sara Bartzen for a goal, finding the boards in the 35th minute for the game's lone tally in the second half. It was Bartzen's second goal of the season and third of her career.
 
In cage, graduate student Maddie George turned in another double-digit save performance with 12 against the Cavaliers. With her save total on the afternoon, George moved into fifth place on the Tribe's career saves list with 313.
 
The first opportunity of the game came from the Tribe. Junior Olivia Stock fed the ball into the left side of the area to Bartzen. The senior forward's shot to the near post was blocked by Virginia goalkeeper Tyler Kennedy in the fifth minute.
 
Virginia jumped on top four minutes later thanks to a rebound goal from Taryn Tkachuk. George stopped Dani Mendez-Trendler's initial shot from the right side, but the attempt deflected off the Tribe goalkeeper's pad and toward the goal mouth where Tkachuk flipped it in.
 
The Cavaliers scored three times over a five-minute span in the latter stages of the second quarter to stretch the lead to 4-0. Mia Abello doubled UVA's lead in the 22nd minute with a hard shot inside the near post boards from just inside the circle.
 
Lauren Kenah lifted a pass to the backpost where Amelie Rees knocked it into the goal in the 26th minute. Less than two minutes later, it was Tkachuk who fed across to Lilly Hengerer for the fourth UVA goal.
 
W&M broke through thanks to a penalty corner five minutes into the second half. On the play, Richbourg fired the ball toward the middle of the cage from the right side. Bartzen redirected it inside the far post to cut the deficit to 4-1. The assist was the third of Richbourg's career.
 
Scoring Summary
9' | UVA – Taryn Tkachuk (unassisted)
22' | UVA – Mia Abello (unassisted)
26' | UVA – Amelie Rees (Lauren Kenah)
28' | UVA – Lilly Hengerer (Tkachuk)
35' | W&M – Sara Bartzen (Kellen Richbourg)
 
Starting Lineup
W&M - #1 George (GK), #2 Schuma, #5 Gruendel, #7 Richbourg, #8 Friedman, #9 McGaughey, #15 Schmittel, #16 Stocks, #18 Bartzen, #27 Schwartz, #28 Griffin
 
UVA - #24 Kennedy (GK), #4 Croon, #6 Kenah, #7 Tkachuk, #8 Nemec, #11 L. Hengerer, #12 M. Hengere, #13 Leemans, #19 Mendez-Trendler, #25 Boterman, #26 Field
 
Up Next
The Tribe returns to CAA play next week when it travels to Northeastern on Friday, Oct. 4. The contest carries a 2 p.m. start time and will be broadcast on FloLive.