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From media releases

The Virginia women’s lacrosse team spotted the George Mason Patriots two early goals but rallied to take a 4-3 lead at halftime, and then pulled away with four goals in the first ten minutes of the second half to break open the game. The No. 7 Cavaliers (12-3) won the first five draws of the second half, with Duff controlling three of them, to take charge of the game and hold on for the win over the Patriots (5-8). Duff led all players with five draw controls and added two ground balls and three caused turnovers; Kendall McBrearty had ten saves to keep down the Patriots’ attack. At the other end of the field Blair Weymouth had two goals and added three assists; Brittany Kalkstein and Kate Breslin both had a hat trick for the Cavaliers.

Mason won the opening draw, but the two teams failed to get off a shot in the opening five minutes as the teams traded possessions in their respective offensive zones a couple times. Virginia was able to get a couple breakaway chances on clears, but Longobucco made a pair of saves and frustrated the Cavalier offense. Mason was able to get on the board first as Melissa Venturi drove to the cage at 20:22 for the opening strike. Again Melissa Curry won the draw for Mason, and the Patriots attacked, scoring as Curry converted a Brittany Berger feed two minutes later. Longobucco made another pair of saves at the other end of the field, and the Patriots cleared the ball again.

McBrearty made the save on the shot, and she started a clear that saw Virginia get off another shot on a breakway that went high, but on the restart Jess Wasilewski got control of the ball behind the net and fed Kate Breslin for a goal to put Virginia on the scoreboard after a drought of 18:01 to open the game, the longest such stretch for Virginia in 2007.

Megan O’Malley won the ensuing draw and Virginia executed a draw and dump as Weymouth fed Ashley McCulloch for a goal 74 seconds after Breslin’s goal to tie the game at 2-2. Kalkstein won the draw and Virginia set its attack. Breslin was fouled in the eight, and on the restart she passed it off to Kalkstein, who drew a shooting space foul across the arc. Kalkstein converted the shot at 9:38, putting Virginia up 3-2 with a three-goal run in a span of 2:21. Mason tied the game with a goal by Megan Udovich less than a minute later.

As Mason attempted a clear, Duff caused a turnover and McCulloch was there to gain control for the Cavaliers. She got the ball up to O’Malley, who eluded her defender and faked the shot high before slotting it in the lower corner for a goal just over a minute after Mason tied the game, giving the Cavaliers the lead they would not relinquish. Virginia took the 4-3 into the break.

Duff won the draw to open the second half and found Megan Havrilla, who fed Weymouth for a goal 32 seconds into the second half. The Patriots pulled back within one three minutes later on Udovich’s second goal, but McCulloch won the draw, found Weymouth, who in turn found Breslin, who scored 16 seconds after Udovich to push the margin back to two. McCulloch won a second consecutive draw and Virginia worked the ball behind back to McCulloch, who hit Wasilewski, who quicksticked the ball into the cage for a goal 65 seconds after Breslin. Laura King’s only goal of the night, which came two minutes later, pulled the Patriots to within two.

Havrilla caused a turnover and picked up the loose ball on an attempted Mason clear, and Kalkstein drew a shooting space foul after Virginia reset its offense. She converted the shot at 20:34, and after Havrilla won the draw and got the ball to McCulloch, who in turn set up Kalkstein for a second goal in 79 seconds, Virginia was up 9-5.

A McBreatrty save led to a fast break that saw Duff alone in front of the cage; she threw the Weymouth offering into the net for a 10-5 lead at 17:46. Ten minutes later McBrearty again made a save that led to another clear that saw Breslin challenge from the top and score her third goal of the night, outing UVa up 11-5 at 7:15. A Kelly Davis goal at 4:45 stopped the 4-0 run. Mason was able to get the ball back in their offensive zone, but an overthow made it out to the midfield, where Weymouth scooped it up and took it in herself from the centerstripe, allowing the Cavaliers to double-up the Patriots 12-6.

Duff led all players with five draw controls; Virginia caused 11 of Mason’s turnovers with Duff leading the way with three and Jessy Morgan, Havrilla and Kalkstein notching two each. McBrearty corralled seven ground balls in addition to her 10 saves.

The Cavaliers return to action as they travel to Chestnut Hill, Mass. to take on ACC-rival Boston College on Saturday, April 21. Opening draw against the Eagles is 1 p.m. at the Newton Athletic Complex.