Box Score (PDF)

FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason University women's lacrosse team built a 3-goal advantage but could not maintain its lead as the game drew on, falling to VCU 22-12 on a blustery and cold Thursday night inside George Mason Stadium.
 
Mason led 6-3 midway through the second half, but at that point, VCU started controlling the draw and was able to keep possession and put the ball in the back of the net during that segment of the contest. The Rams' Juliana George notched six points and grabbed eight draw controls to lead the VCU effort.
 
On the Mason side, the Patriots tallied 17 draw controls and picked up 16 ground balls, but the Rams held a sizable lead in shots (43-21) for the game.
 
Senior Niki Baker led Mason with a career-best five points on a goal and a personal-best four assists to lead the Patriot charge.
 
Senior Erin Donoghue added a hat trick and tallied a season-best six draw controls on the day. Sophomore Chloe Reed also notched a career-best three goals and picked up a pair of ground balls.
 
Senior Christina Romano notched two goals and picked up three ground balls, while junior Phoebe Nelson chipped in a goal and an assist. Junior Deanna Balsama notched six draw controls to complement Donoghue at the circle.
 
Back-to-back goals from Donoghue and Romano gave the Patriots an early 2-0 lead. After VCU scored, the Patriots came right back with two more. Donoghue found the back of the net off a good feed from Baker. Then Reed scored unassisted to make it 4-1 at the 21:41 mark.
 
Mason led 6-3 with 14:30 to go in the first half after a score from Reed, but from there, VCU answered with seven of the final eight goals of the half to take a 10-7 edge into the break.
 
After VCU went up 12-7, senior Olivia O'Brien scored to cut the lead to four (12-8), but the Patriots would not move closer than that for the remainder of the contest.
 
Mason now hits the road to battle No. 15 Towson for the second time this season. The Patriots will battle the Tigers on Sunday at 5 p.m.