LEXINGTON, Va. -- The Washington & Jefferson College women's lacrosse team put forth a strong effort in the first round of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. The game came down to the final minute where W&J would ultimately drop a 16-15 decision to Transylvania University. The game was hosted by Washington & Lee University at Watt Field in Lexington, Va.

The two teams would battle through a 60-minute back and forth affair. Neither team led by more than three goals in the match.

Sarah Labovitz (Great Falls, Va./The Bullis School) opened the game with an unassisted goal just 34 seconds into the game. The Pioneers answered by winning the second draw control and scoring just 19 seconds later. Labovitz would score one more goal in the first quarter while Becca Ghion (Sutersville, Pa./Yough) and Amanda Effland (Fredrick, Md./Frederick) each scored as the teams headed into the second tied at 4-4.

Transylvania opened the second quarter with three straight goals before Labovitz would score the Presidents first goal of the second quarter. Labovitz goal opened a four goal run the Presidents to obtain the lead once more, 8-7. Effland tacked on another score just before halftime as the teams were knotted up at 9-9 after 30 minutes. 

Aisa Uhler (East Lansing, Mich./East Lansing) tallied a pair of goals in the third. However, Transylvania scored a pair of goals over the final 1:58 of the frame to take a 13-11 edge into the fourth. 

Sofia Jenkins (Hughesville, Md./The Calverton School), Clara Sherwood (Indiana, Pa./Indiana Area) and Effland would open the fourth quarter with three straight goals to give W&J a 14-13 lead with 9:52 to play. However, Transylvania would tally three of the final four goals, including the game winner by Charlotte Green with just 56 seconds to play.

Effland led W&J offensively with a seven-point effort, as the junior finished with five goals and two assists. Uhler and Labovitz recorded hat tricks for the Red & Black.  Sherwood capped her W&J career with two goals and four draw controls. Labovitz added five draw controls and three ground balls.  Effland and Haley Lawyer (Glenside, Pa. / Archbishop Wood) finished with two assists apiece. 

Ella Phillips (Arnold, Md./Broadneck) was stout defensively and led W&J with five ground balls and two caused turnovers. Kaitlyn Brown (Charlotte Hall, Md./La Plata) registered 15 saves and tallied four ground balls in 60 minutes in goal. 

Transylvania was aided by a 12-3 advantage in free position shot attempts and a 23-12 discrepancy in draw controls. W&J held a 23-13 advantage in ground balls and committed eight less (20-12) turnovers in the match. 

Abbey Peterson led Transylvania with five goals, all of which came off of free position shot attempts. 

W&J finished their season with a 12-5 overall record after winning its second-straight PAC title. The Presidents were making their third-ever appearance in the NCAA Championship Tournament.