Women Spiders rally late versus crosstown rivals

The University of Richmond women’s lacrosse team defeated Virginia Commonwealth University 12-9 at E. Claiborne Robins Stadium March 18. 

After a 16-15 double overtime victory over No. 10 University of Virginia earlier in the week, the Spiders defeated the Rams for the eighth straight time. UR has won each matchup against VCU since the Rams’ lacrosse program was established in 2016. 

Following the win over UVA, UR head coach Anne Harrington said the team would use the win to learn and keep moving forward. Harrington also said UR could not take VCU lightly.

The Spiders wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard as 29 seconds into the first quarter, junior attacker Marymargaret Quinn scored her second goal of the year on a dish from first-year attacker Juliana Stanley. 

UR scored two more early goals, and by the 12:06 mark of quarter one the Spiders led the Rams 3-0. Through the first 15 minutes, UR led 5-2.

In the second quarter, the Spiders kept their lead despite VCU heating up on the offensive end. The Rams outscored the Spiders 3-1 in the quarter. 

Coming out of halftime, VCU scored a minute and a half into quarter three to tie the game at five goals apiece. The Rams scored twice more and the Spiders went scoreless in the third quarter. 

Starting the final quarter of regulation down 8-6 after VCU’s five unanswered goals, the Spiders had to find a way to wake up on the offensive end. 

With 12:45 to go in the game, sophomore attacker Colleen Quinn gave UR its first goal since the 9:35 mark in the second quarter. However, VCU would not make the Spiders’ comeback easy. 

The Spiders tied the game 8-8 after senior midfielder Lindsey Frank stole the ball from the Rams and passed the ball to Colleen Quinn for the goal, but VCU was back on top shortly after with a goal of their own. 

After a sloppy start to the second half, the Spiders ultimately relied on a surge of offensive momentum to finish out the game with three unanswered goals and defeated VCU 12-9. 

Frank finished the game with four goals, her second straight game doing so. Frank has scored 27 goals through the first nine games of the season. Colleen Quinn and junior attacker Ali Susskind each added three goals apiece. 

This win brings the Spiders’ record to 7-2 on the season. This was UR’s second Atlantic 10 conference game and first A-10 victory. Before the season commenced, the Spiders were voted to finish in first place in the A-10. 

UR started its season with four straight wins against the Queens University of Charlotte, the College of William & Mary, Liberty University and Howard University, respectively. Following that stretch, a matchup away against the Naval Academy saw the team’s first loss of the season. 

The Spiders’ only other loss came at the hands of the University of Massachusetts minutewomen in a 22-12 loss away March 11. 

Last season, during the 2022 campaign, the Spiders started the season in similar fashion, winning their first five games and holding a 7-2 record nine games into the season.  

UR’s next game is at home against George Mason University at 7 p.m. March 22. 

Contact sports editor Jimmy James at jimmy.james@richmond.edu.