JMU women’s lax wins in CAA semis

In the final minutes James Madison sophomore Amy Roguski (Sykesville, Md./Liberty) made a key defensive play and scored the game-winning goal as the Dukes beat Hofstra 10-9 in the Colonial Athletic Association women’s lacrosse semifinals Friday afternoon at the Towson Soccer Complex.

The second-seeded Dukes, winners of the last two CAA titles, advance to Sunday’s 2 p.m. championship game against the top-seeded Towson Tigers.  Towson, a 12-11 winner over No. 4 seed Drexel in the other semifinal, has an opportunity to avenge its loss to the Dukes in the 2011 CAA final.  JMU, meanwhile, will have the chance to make history as no CAA team has ever won three straight championships.

Roguski netted the game-winner off a pass from senior Monica Zabel (Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Hebron) with just 2:14 left, capping the Dukes’ come-from behind win.

Although JMU led 4-2 with 13:31 remaining in the first half, Hofstra scored three straight goals to go ahead 5-4 with 2:55 left in the period.  The Dukes did not lead again until Roguski’s game-winning score.

With JMU trailing 9-8 with less than four minutes to play, Roguski picked-off a Hofstra pass in the Dukes’ defensive third.  Following a JMU timeout, Roguski delivered the ball to senior Ashley Kimener (Oakton, Va./Oakton).  Kimener drove to the Hofstra net and took a shot, beating Pride senior goalkeeper Jaclyn Pandolf (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem North) and knotting the game at 9-9.

Hofstra junior Jill Maier (Honeoye Falls, N.Y./Honeoye Falls) controlled the ensuing draw, but just 12 seconds later Dukes’ senior Cally Chakrian (East Meadow, N.Y./East Meadow) forced a turnover on Hofstra sophomore Jenn Ward (Fallston, Md./Fallston), and Kimener scooped up the ground ball.  That set the stage for Roguski’s deciding goal that sealed the Dukes’ trip to the championship game.

JMU held a 22-20 edge on shots and had 14 draw controls to six for Hofstra.  Dukes’ freshman goalkeeper Schylar Healy (Eldersburg, Md./Liberty) made four saves in 56:25 of play, and redshirt senior goalkeeper Alex Menghetti (Media, Pa./Penncrest) played the final 3:35 but did not face any shots.  Pandolf finished with nine saves.

Kimener and Roguski each scored three goals to tie for game scoring honors.  With two goals, senior Caitlin McHugh (Westminster, Md./Mercy) was the only other Duke with multiple scores.

Hofstra’s top scorer was Maier with two goals.

Zabel added four assists and a team-high four draw controls, and Roguski had three draw controls.  Chakrian and junior Amanda Mathews (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial) led JMU with two caused turnovers apiece.  Roguski had a game-high three ground balls.