WASHINGTON, D.C. — No. 8 seed William & Mary battled until the final minutes but fell to No. 1 seed Charleston, 58–55, in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Credit Union 1 CAA Women's Basketball Championship on Friday afternoon at CareFirst Arena.
The loss ends the Tribe's season at 17–14 overall, while the Cougars improve to 25–5 and advance to the CAA semifinals. The defeat also snapped William & Mary's nine-game neutral-site winning streak and five-game CAA Tournament winning streak dating back to last season's championship run.
Cassidy Geddes led the Tribe with 15 points and six rebounds, while Monet Dance added 12 points. Natalie Fox finished with seven points and five rebounds, and Jana Sallman chipped in six points off the bench. Alexa Mikeska contributed five points, six rebounds and a team-high seven assists.
William & Mary shot 45.1% (23-of-51) from the field and 44.4% (8-of-18) from three-point range, while Charleston shot 30.9% (21-of-68) from the floor. The Cougars held a 39–37 rebounding edge and scored 19 points off turnovers in the victory.
First Quarter
The Tribe stayed within striking distance early and took a narrow lead late in the opening period. A three-pointer from Marley Long and a layup from Ari Mercado helped William & Mary close the quarter on a run to take a 15–14 advantage after the first 10 minutes.
Second Quarter
William & Mary extended its lead in the second quarter with timely baskets from Alexa Mikeska, Cassidy Geddes and Monet Dance. The Tribe built a nine-point lead midway through the period before Charleston responded late. William & Mary carried a 30–29 lead into halftime.
Third Quarter
The teams traded runs throughout the third quarter as the Tribe used a pair of three-pointers from Geddes and another from Dance to push its lead to six late in the period. Charleston answered with a three-pointer in the final seconds to cut the margin to 49–46 heading into the fourth.
Fourth Quarter
Charleston rallied in the final period, opening the quarter with a run to take its first lead of the half. The Cougars grabbed a three-point advantage with just over six minutes remaining and held the edge down the stretch.
William & Mary pulled within three on a layup from Natalie Fox with 1:31 left, but the Tribe was unable to convert on its final opportunities as Charleston held on for the win.
