FAIRFAX, Va. – In a game where pesky William & Mary refused to go away, the George Mason women's lacrosse team needed to seize its opportunities.

The Patriots did just that, rattling off seven straight goals – including four on free-position shots – to pull away for a 13-5 victory on Saturday at George Mason Stadium. Three players scored three goals or more and sophomore goalkeeper Melissa Semkiw made 12 saves.

Junior Chachi Kelehan scored four goals and dished out an assist for her fourth five-point game of the season and graduate student Corinne Wessels had three goals and three assists for a Mason-best six points. Senior Kristin Morgan also tied a career high with three goals.  

Mason (4-1) has won two straight and is off to its best start in 10 years. The 2008 squad won eight of its first nine games.

The Patriots led the entire game and took a 5-3 advantage into halftime. But William & Mary (2-4) hung around, pulling within one, 6-5, with about 20 minutes left.

Mason then created opportunities, drawing several fouls inside the eight-meter arc. After scoring just once in five free-position attempts in the first half, the Patriots scored four free-position attempts out of six tries in the second half. Conversely, the Tribe was 0-for-6 on free-position shots as Semkiw and the Patriots defense allowed a season-low five goals on 21 shots.

Wessels, Morgan and Kelehan scored consecutive free-position goals within a four-minute span. Then Morgan scored on an assist by Wessels for a 10-5 lead with 9:55 left despite William & Mary having a player advantage due to a Mason yellow card.

Morgan, Wessels and senior Holly Tevis added goals in the final five minutes to put the game away. Six players scored for Mason as sophomore Hailey Johnson and senior Hannah Warpinski also netted goals.

After playing three of its first five games at home, Mason now plays the next five on the road. The Patriots head south for spring break to play Campbell at 4 p.m. on Wednesday in Buies Creek, N.C.