Box Score (PDF)

FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason University women's lacrosse team fought back from a halftime deficit to nearly pull off a comeback, before falling 14-11 to George Washington in Friday's Revolutionary Rivalry home contest.
 
Mason held second-half advantages in shots on goal (13-9) and ground balls (10-6), but struggled at the draw all night, where the Colonials held a 20-8 overall advantage.
 
The Patriots were +1 (6-5) in the second half, but GW was able to grab the win on the strength of 9-5 halftime advantage.
 
Sophomore Chloe Reed led Mason with a career-best four goals and put all six of her shots on goal. She also picked up a pair of ground balls in the contest.
 
Senior Erin Donoghue added a hat trick and picked up a season-high five ground balls, while junior Deanna Balsama tallied four points (2g, 2a) to go along with a pair of ground balls.
 
Senior Christina Romano chipped in two assists and picked up two ground balls, while seniors Olivia O'Brien (1g, 1a, 4gb) and Niki Baker (1g, 1a) also tallied multi-point games.
 
In cage, junior Fiona Rickels and freshman Mason Donohue each played a half. In the second, Donohue allowed just five goals while making four saves.
 
Goals from Donoghue and Reed helped Mason jump out to a 2-0 advantage. GW tied it up at 2-2, but a score from Donoghue off a good feed from Balsama moved the Patriots in front 3-2 at the 20:31 mark.
 
GW rallied with a 3-0 run to go up 5-3, but back-to-back goals from Donoghue and Reed tied the score once again (5-5) with 14:52 to play in the opening stanza.
 
But from there, the Colonials scored the final four goals of the half to take a 9-5 edge into the break.
 
Balsama put home a man-up goal at the 28:05 mark of the second half to move Mason back within three (9-6) and another Balsama score kept the deficit at three (10-7).
 
Two Colonial scores put GW up five (12-7) with 17:23 to go, but a goal from Baker got Mason back within three (13-10) with 10:29 left. Mason had a couple chances to get closer, but a GW score at 4:35 put the margin back at five.
 
Reed scored a minute later to make it 14-11, but Mason could not win the ensuing draw and GW held on for the victory.
 
Mason is back in action on Sunday with a 1 p.m. contest at Davidson.