LEXINGTON, Va. – Senior midfielder Sammy Yates (Ridgewood, N.J. / Ridgewood) scored the game-winning goal with 4:43 left in the contest to give the 10th-ranked Washington and Lee women's lacrosse team an 8-7 victory over St. Mary's (Md.) on Saturday afternoon at Watt Field.

The Generals (5-1) opened the first half on a 5-0 run ignited by an unassisted goal from sophomore attacker Sara Holland (Houston, Texas / M.B. Lamar) just 1:59 into the game. Sophomore attacker Lauren Procaccino (Manhasset, N.Y. / Manhasset) and first-year attacker Jess Castelo (Red Bank, N.J. / Lawrenceville School) each scored two goals during the spurt. 

The Seahawks (5-1) responded when junior midfielder Tori Poffenberger (Sharpsburg, Md. / Boonsboro) tallied a goal off of a free position shot at the 15:05 mark. Sophomore midfielder Erika Kopf (Annapolis, Md. / Annapolis) cut W&L's lead to three (5-2) when scored off of an assist from senior attacker Christy Bishop (Glenwood, Md. / Glenelg) with 6:02 left in the half.

Procaccino answered with 2:45 left on the clock when she found the back of the net to extend the Generals' lead to 6-2. Poffenberger tallied her second goal of the half with just 18 seconds remaining off of a free position shot to bring the score to 6-3 going into intermission. 

The Seahawks scored the first four goals in the second half to take a one-goal advantage, 7-6. Junior midfielder Shelby Newman (Hampstead, Md. / Manchester Valley) netted the game-tying goal off of a free position shot at the 11:34 mark, and then Kopf tallied an unassisted goal just 2:36 later to give St. Mary's the 7-6 lead.

Sophomore midfielder Olivia Sisson (Great Falls, Va. / Langley) tied the game, 7-7, with 6:33 left in the contest off of a free position shot. Yates tallied the game-winner with 4:43 remaining on the clock off of an assist from Procaccino. W&L was able to burn the final four minutes off the clock to seal the win.

For the game, the Generals held an advantage in draw controls, 11-6, and picked up 18 ground balls compared to the Seahawks' 15. St. Mary's out-shot W&L, 19-17.

Senior goalkeeper Cara Mulligan (Glen Ridge, N.J. / Glen Ridge) played all 60 minutes and recorded 11 saves, which pushes her career total to 388. She now has the fifth-most saves in program history. Junior goalie Kayla Dunn (Rockville, Md. / Our Lady of Good Counsel) suffered the loss for the Seahawks, seeing all 60 minutes of action and posting seven saves.

Procaccino paced the Blue and White with three goals and one assist. Junior defender Caroline Hutchinson (Annapolis, Md. / St. Mary's) had a game-high four draw controls.

Poffenberger led the Seahawks with three goals, while Newman picked up four ground balls.

W&L returns to action on Wednesday when it travels to Shenandoah for 6:00 pm contest.

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