Sophomore defender Jennie Sroba (Manakin-Sabot, Va./Collegiate) scored her first two goals of the season on Friday night to help propel the James Madison women’s soccer team to a 3-0 shutout victory over College of Charleston at University Park in Colonial Athletic Association play. Madison moved to 8-6 overall, 3-1 in CAA action this season, while Charleston dropped to 5-9 overall and 1-4 in conference play.
Battling a steady rain all night, Sroba first got on the board in the 20th minute when she received a pass in front of the goal from senior forward Katie Hyland (Islip, N.Y./Islip). The cross went through the box and by a hard-charging sophomore forward Ashley Herndon (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge), finding Sroba six yards from the goal.
The sophomore got on the board again in the 49th minute on a similar play as Hyland crossed from the right side of the box, and Sroba one-timed her shot past College of Charleston goalkeeper Lauren Killian.
JMU capped the scoring in the 66th minute when Herndon scored her team-leading fourth goal of the season. Junior midfielder Kelly Kerrigan (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown East) sent one of the Dukes’ 13 corner kicks in the match into the box and, as the ball bounced around in the penalty area, Herndon tracked it and fired her shot by Killian.
Looking for the hat trick late in the second half, Sroba had multiple chances near the Charleston goal to score her third goal but all three times Killian came up big with saves. The most dangerous chance came with eight minutes to play when Sroba received a ball at the top of the penalty area. After taking a touch toward goal, she fired her shot low but Killian went down and, though the slick ball went through her hands, she recorded one of her season-high 12 saves on the night with the ball glancing off her face.
The Dukes fired a season-high 29 shots in the match compared to Charleston’s seven. JMU’s previous season high was 21, which was done on two occasions (Sept. 7 vs. VCU, Sept. 19 vs. Appalachian State).
With her two assists on the night, Hyland is tied for 19th all-time on the JMU points list with 47. Former Duke Sarah Cebulski, who played at JMU from 2003-06, also tallied 47 points in 81 career games. Earlier this season, Hyland moved past Cebulski on the all-time goals list as she has three goals in 2014 to give her 19 for her career at JMU.
In JMU’s three conference wins, the Dukes have scored three-plus goals in each of the contests. JMU opened conference action with a 4-2 victory against Towson, then topped Hofstra 3-1 before being shut out 2-0 by Northeastern.
The Dukes return to action Sunday afternoon, Oct. 12. against UNCW. First kick between the Seahawks and Dukes is set for 1 p.m. at University Park. UNCW topped Towson 2-1 Friday afternoon to move to 7-6-1 overall and 2-3 in CAA play.