RICHMOND, Va. – In a Capital City battle to close the first day of the 2026 Betterment Atlantic 10 Field Hockey Tournament, the University of Richmond defeated VCU in overtime, 2-1.
 
This year’s tournament is being played at the Rams’ Cary Street Field.
 
#2 Richmond 2, #3 VCU 1 (OT) – Box Score
 
A10 Offensive Player of the Year Clara Larripa was the hero for the Spiders on Thursday. With 8:06 to play in the extra session, Richmond was awarded a penalty corner that was unsuccessful. UR got a second corner out of the play, however, and this time the Spiders converted as Larripa picked up a rebound in front of the goal and flipped a shot past VCU goalie Emma Clements into the upper netting.
 
Richmond moves on to Saturday’s championship game against top-seeded Saint Joseph’s, which was a 2-1 winner over fourth-seeded Davidson earlier today.
 
The Spiders (12-6, 5-1) entered the postseason with one of the top-scoring offenses in the country, and it didn’t take them long to go in front Thursday. Off a penalty corner just 11 minutes into the contest, Clara Larripa fired a shot from the top of the circle that was re-directed into the goal near the right post by Maura Seeger.
 
That lead held until 6:04 was left in the third quarter, when VCU (8-10, 4-2) tied it up. This goal also came off a penalty corner, as Lucia Donati sent a ball from the left side of the circle into the middle and Julia Spohr re-directed into the goal.
 
The fourth quarter featured plenty of drama. Richmond had four corners in a row but was unable to convert on any of them, and then not one but two Spiders were sent off late in the period with cards. VCU was unable to take advantage of the players-up situation, though, and the game went to overtime.

This was the second meeting between Richmond and VCU in a six-day span; the Spiders won that first meeting, as well, by a 4-1 score.