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Virginia’s Brittany Kalkstein (17) dives to the goal in the first quarter against the University of Richmond, Wednesday, February 28, 2007.

The Virginia women’s lacrosse team held visiting Richmond to 15 shots, including only five in the first half, and defeated the Spiders 13-5 tonight in Charlottesville. The Cavaliers (2-0) were led offensively by Blair Weymouth’s three goals and two assists, with all three goals coming in the decisive first half. Kate Breslin notched her second consecutive hat trick, while at the other end of the field the Virginia defense did not allow the Spiders (2-2) and appreciable time in the arc. The Cavaliers dominated the draws, winning 12 of the 20 in the game, including three by Ashley McCulloch.

The Cavaliers jumped on the board first as Jess Wasilewski won the draw and Virginia set its offense where Weymouth drove from the top, scoring just over a minute into the game. Richmond tied the game at 1-1 in the seventh minute, on an 8-meter, and the ‘Hoos’ attack erupted.

Virginia’s Kate Breslin (20) works around the back of the cage, Wednesday, February 28, 2007.

Jess Wasilewski won the ensuing draw, came out of the scrum, and led Kaitlin Swagart, who took the ball to the cage and scored 12 seconds after the Richmond goal. The Spiders won the draw, but Brittany Kalkstein caused a turnover and grubbed the ground ball that led to a fast break where Breslin converted a Weymouth pass to score 73 seconds after Swagart. Claire Bordley picked up the overthrow of a Spider pass and Virginia set its offense, where McCulloch fed Megan Havrilla as the latter cut to the goal for a 4-1 lead. Richmond stopped the brief run as the Cavaliers possessed the ball coming out of the arc, but a Spider tackle back checked the ball out of the defender’s stick into the cage.

Virginia answered right back as McBrearty made a save and the Cavaliers transitioned upfield where Weymouth again drove from the top, scoring with 12:02 left in the half. The Hoos set up their offense again and drew a pair of shooting space fouls. Weymouth converted on the second one with 9:25 left in the half for a halftime score of 6-2.

McCulloch opened the second half with a drive from the top, scoring seven minutes into the stanza. Kaitlin Duff gained control on a missed Spider catch, starting a break that saw McCulloch score her second goal with a nice move on the crease for an 8-2 lead. Richmond stopped the run briefly on a Furstenberg goal at 17:24, but Kalkstein won the draw and got the ball to Wasileski, who was fouled on a drive on the hanging hash on the left of the keeper. Wasilewski passed the ball to a wide-open Breslin on the center hash on the restart, and Breslin buried the goal just 27 seconds after UR’s goal. The Spiders’ Claire Cunniff scored at 10:54 to attempt a Richmond rally, but again Virginia answered in short fashion as McCulloch won the draw and the Cavaliers settled the ball before Wasilewski quicksticked a pass from Breslin into the cage on the only possession off the draw.

Richmond gained possession on the draw, but their shot ricocheted off the pipe where it it snagged by Claire Bordley, who started a clear. Virginia settled the ball and Havrilla fired a rocket to the twine, scoring at 6:18. Furstenberg scored her second goal of the game on a drive from the top, but the Cavaliers closed out the game with the final two goals.

A Richmond clear was broken up by Weymouth on the restraining line, and Havrilla scooped up the loose ball and sent the ball up to Breslin, who had only the backpedaling keeper to beat. Breslin’s goal at 3:18 was the Cavaliers’ 12th goal of the game. Virginia closed the scoring after executing a spread offense and Weymouth fed the ball to Kalkstein on the goal circle at 59:12.

Virginia’s Brittany Kalkstein (18) controls a ground ball against Richmond, Wednesday, February 28, 2007.

Kalkstein led the Cavaliers with three ground balls and she added a caused turnover and two draw controls. For the second consecutive game McCulloch lead the team in draw controls. McBrearty finished with three saves, while her counterpart Jackie Swansburg had 13 saves to lead the Spiders.

Virginia returns to action on Saturday (March 3) as the Cavaliers travel to Syracuse to face the Orange. The draw is set for 1 p.m.

Virginia’s Blair Weymouth (2) moves the ball on a Virginia fast break, Wednesday, February 28, 2007.