James Madison (2-0) held off Virginia Tech (2-3) Thursday evening at the Hokies’ Thompson Field, as the Dukes lacrosse team edged the home-standing Hokies 9-8.
Redshirt senior Casey Ancarrow (Jarrettsville, Md./John Carroll) led the Dukes with four goals on five shots, and sophomore Steph Finley (Media, Pa./Sacred Heart) tallied three scores, including the game-winning goal with 1:33 left in the game.
Sophomore goalkeeper Schylar Healy (Eldersburg, Md./Liberty) stopped nine shots, including a save on an attempt by Kristin Semones with nine seconds to go, to preserve the win.
The Dukes never trailed in the match and scored on their first three shots to take a 3-0 lead just 3:48 into the game. Ancarrow got JMU on the scoreboard just seven seconds in off a pass from redshirt senior Rebecca McLouth (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore).
Goal number two came on a free-position attempt from sophomore Ali Curwin (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland) with only 1:23 elapsed, and Ancarrow netted the third score at the 3:48 mark.
Tech tallied three of the game’s next four goals to close the gap to 4-3 with 18:20 to play, but Ancarrow put back-to-back balls into the net just 52 seconds apart to push the Dukes’ lead back to three, 6-3, with 15:00 remaining.
However, the Hokies scored three times in the final 9:52 and tied the game at 6-6 on Meg Bartley’s unassisted goal with 2:03 on the clock.
In the second half the Dukes reclaimed the lead on a score by Finley on a free-position shot 2:04. Then, with JMU having a player advantage due to a Tech yellow card, freshman Emily Pillion (Wayne, Pa./Conestoga) scored an unassisted goal at 22:55 to put her team ahead 8-6.
Tech, which outshot JMU 22-17 for the game, got goals from Megan Will at 17:19 and Brooke Martin at 12:13 to again bring the Hokies even with the Dukes at 8-8.
The Hokies had the next two chances to go ahead, but a shot by Julia Heaps sailed wide of the goal at 5:12, and Healy stopped a Jessi Thom shot at 3:48. Following a Tech turnover, JMU gained possession with 2:36 to play, and Finley secured the go-ahead goal for the win.
The Dukes were efficient on offense, scoring their nine goals on just 17 shots. Tech goalie Alex Gale made only three stops.
Other statistical leaders for JMU included Ancarrow and redshirt sophomore Kaci Starkloff (Bel Air, Md./Bel Air), who had four and two draw controls, respectively. Senior Amanda Mathews (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial) led the Dukes with two ground balls.
JMU is back home for a 1 p.m. contest vs. Fairfield on Saturday at University Park.
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