PHILADELPHIA – A misty, inclement Saturday afternoon on Hawk Hill saw the Saint Joseph's women's lacrosse team drop its first conference game of the season, falling 15-9 to Richmond at Sweeney Field.
 
The Hawks fall to 3-1 in A-10 play, upsetting a three-game win streak to start the conference campaign. Richmond, receiving votes in this week's IWLCA poll, moves to 9-2 on the year and 3-1 in the Atlantic 10.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• A testy start to the game saw both teams looking for the game's opening goal throughout the opening eight minutes, the visitors being the first to strike with just over seven minutes remaining on the clock. The Spiders pushed the lead to 3-0 in two minutes of play, looking to make up for the lack of early fireworks.
• The Hawks struck back with three minutes to play as the reigning Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week Sarah Groark found the back of the net to cut the deficit. The rookie turned provider with 39 seconds remaining on the clock as the Hawks cut the Spider advantage to 3-2 to end the first by way of Maddie Yoder.
• Yoder doubled her tally two minutes into the second stanza, rippling the back of the net with her free-position shot to level the score.
• The tie game would last a minute before Richmond responded, regaining a three-goal lead after a 3-0 run over the span of the next eight minutes.
• Collecting her hat trick in the first half, Yoder found the back of the net once more in the first with her 18^th of the season as the sophomore tossed an effort into the nylon with less than 10 seconds on the clock.
• Yet another Richmond 3-0 run started the third quarter, the Spiders increasing their lead to as many as five before a Riley Evans goal with a two-women advantage on the field cut the deficit. Yoder tallied another goal in the final minute of the third quarter to give the Hawks just a 9-6 deficit headed into the final frame.
• Despite looking to get back into the contest, the Hawks fell victim to four-consecutive goals from Richmond to start the fourth, taking a 13-6 lead with nearly 10 minutes on the clock.
• Bella Miceli's lengthy run from defense stopped the bleeding for the Hawks before Bonnie Yu and Richmond's Colleen Quinn ripped goals within minutes apart.
• After another Spider goal made the score 15-8, the Hawks grabbed a consolation goal as Lauren Iorio netted her third of the season on a free-position attempt with 53 seconds remaining, the score settling at 15-9 with advantage going to the visitors from Virginia.

 
GAME NOTES

• Maddie Yoder's four-goal performance is just one shy of her season-high set against #2 Maryland on the opening day, all four of her shots finding the net.
• Bonnie Yu continues her goal streak with nine-straight games finding the score sheet, finishing with a goal and an assist.
• Sarah Groark has scored 13 goals in the last four games, adding a goal and an assist on the afternoon.
• Jorden Concordia made seven saves in the decision.
• Richmond outshot St. Joe's by a 33-20 margin, a 22-13 advantage for the Spiders in shots on goal. The Spiders won the draw on 17 of the 28 attempts.
• The Spiders and Hawks have alternated wins in the last five games. Richmond has gotten the better of St. Joe's in each of the last two regular seasons, the Hawks defeating the Spiders in each of the last two Atlantic 10 semifinals.

 
UP NEXT

• The Hawks host San Diego State in a non-conference matchup at Sweeney Field on March 30. The Thursday night matchup is slated for 7 p.m.