WILLIAMSBURG, VA. (April 6, 2008) -- The mix was just right for the William and Mary womens lacrosse team on Sunday afternoon, as the squad blended standout play from a stellar freshman class and the steady hand of key upper-classmen to concoct a resounding 13-8 upset of ninth-ranked George Mason University in Williamsburg.

The Tribe, which improved to 2-0 in Colonial Athletic Association play (6-6 overall), has now ripped off four-straight wins (three of which have come against ranked opponents). One has to go back to the 2001 season to find the last time W&M started its league schedule off with a pair of wins, while the four-game tear is the squads longest since 2000. The loss snapped what was a school-record seven game-winning streak for GMU and dropped the Patriots record to 8-2 (1-1 in CAA).

While the Tribe held slight edges in shots (33-29) and ground balls (27-21), the game was decided on the Colleges ability to create timely turnovers. W&M caused 11 turnovers on the game (led by a season-high three by freshman mid-fielder Maggie Anderson (Richmond, Va.) and George Mason finished with 19 total (to 11 for the College).

The game was a showcase of young talent for William and Mary, as Anderson and her classmates put on a quite a show for the home crowd. Anderson played her most complete game of her young career, as she recorded team-highs in goals (four), ground balls (five) and caused turnovers (three). Grace Golden (Manhasset, N.Y) and Ashley Holofcener (Reisterstown, Md.) contributed three and four points, respectively, and keeper Emily Geary (Wayne, Pa.) was her usual solid self in the nets (11 saves). Emma Starnes (Richmond, Va.) was equally impressive in the Tribes defense, as she tied Anderson for the game high in ground balls (five) and contributed a caused turnover to the cause.

But the afternoons glory wasnt reserved strictly to the newcomers, as senior midfielder Jaime Sellers (Kennebunk, Maine) continued to build on her All-American resume by scoring three times and collecting a ground ball and caused turnover. Sellers has now scored in all 12 of the Tribes games on the season and has had three, or more goals, in 11 contests. She entered the game as the CAA leading scorer and currently has 49 points on the season (45 goals).

With at least five games remaining, Sellers is already tied for seventh on the Tribes all-time single season goals listing. Fellow senior Ashley Bolton (Narbeth, Pa.) teamed with Starnes and junior Kate Lawlor (Philadelphia, Pa.) to turn in a disciplined and efficient team-defensive effort. Steady junior Julia Martin (Woodside, Ca.) was a spark-plug on the offensive end, as she recorded a career-high three-point performance, with a pair of goals and an assist.

The Patriots Laura King, who ended the game with four scores and a game-high five draws, started the scoring off just 27 seconds after the opening draw. But, the 1-0 lead did not last long, as Martin broke the seal for the College at 28:09, scoring on a slick wrap-around, coming from behind the cage and firing into the upper right angle. Minutes later, Golden made a clean pick of an attempted Mason pass in the midfield, charged into the attacking zone and distributed to Sellers finished the possession in the back of the Mason cage at 25:26.

The 2-1 lead was one the Tribe would not relinquish. Sellers was at it again, just over a minute later, when she finished a possession started by a key ground ball collected in the midfield by Anderson with her trademark attack on the cage from the high middle, staking the College to a 3-1 led. King pulled the Patriots within one at 21:07, taking a pretty feed from Megan Bartlett. The 3-2 deficit was a close as George Mason would get for the remainder of the game.

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2008-04-06