Fairfax, Va.--Richmond's high-powered offense and its stifling defense were on display in today's 19-4 win against the Patriots (11-7, 7-2) in the A-10 Championship semifinal game at George Mason Stadium. 
 
The defending A-10 Champions rank second in the A-10 with 270 goals this season and will move on to face top-seed UMass in the Championship game on Sunday at Noon.
 
Richmond rattled off the first four goals of the game, beginning with a goal from Mia Castagnero at 27:45 to go in the half. The Spiders would score three more goals before Mason got on the board with a goal from junior Hailey Johnson (27), assisted by Deanna Balsama (22) at 22:55.  
 
The Spiders responded with five unanswered goals to take a 9-1 lead. Freshman Deanna Balsama would notch a goal at 12:04 and senior Chachi Kelehan would score from the free position at 11:04 left in the half, but Richmond would take a commanding 12-3 lead into the half.
 
The second half was a lot of the same with Richmond scoring seven straight goals and its pressure defense limiting the Patriots to one goal. The Erin Donoghue goal with 3:56 left in the game would end a 38-minute scoring drought for the Patriots.

Richmond picks up their second straight win in the postseason against Mason, defeating the Patriots 12-10 in 2016.
 
The four goals scored by the Patriots is the lowest of the season for Mason. Goalkeeper Megan Gianforte would earn the win for the Spiders with nine saves and giving up only three goals.

Mason Senior Chachi Kelehan, Hailey Johnson, Erin Donoghue and Deanna Balsama each scored one goal in the game. Balsama added an assist.
 
Kelehan will go down as one of the top goals scorers in Mason history etching her name firmly in the record books. She ranks second in points (236), second in goals (167) and third in assists (69) in program history. The Ellicott City, Md. native, earned back-to-back second team all-conference honors. 

Senior goalkeeper Liz Benedetto leaves Mason as the all-time record-holder in program history with a 7.84 (GAA) goals against average during the 2016 campaign. Senior Rachel Woods was a reliable presence for all four years on the back line of defense.