JMU women’s soccer opens with 2-1 win over Xavier

The JMU women’s soccer team opened its 25th anniversary season with a 2-1 victory over Xavier in the Fairfield Inn by Marriot JMU Invitational at University Park on Friday.

The Dukes came from behind in the contest after the Musketeers got on the board in the 13th minute on a goal from Catherine Allon. Eight minutes after Xavier scored, senior Katie Hyland (Islip, N.Y./Islip) picked up right where she left off in 2013 to knot the game at 1-1.

Hyland, who led the team in goals last season with nine, took a through-ball in the penalty area from redshirt senior Sam Lofton (Lock Haven, Pa./Central Mountain) and was one-on-one with Xavier goalkeeper Katie Markesbery. Hyland took a touch and tucked a low shot past the foot of Markesbery just inside the right post for the goal.

The goal broke a four-way tie for 16th place on JMU’s all-time goals list. She now sits one goal behind Sarah Cebulski for 15th on the list. Cebulski tallied 18 goals for the Dukes from 2003-06.

Just three minutes after Hyland’s game-tying goal, sophomore Ashley Herndon (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) gave JMU the lead for good with a one-timer inside the right post on a cross from Lofton. Herndon was JMU’s second-leading goal scorer in 2013 with six goals in 21 games.

Lofton’s two-point night with two assists nearly turned into a four-point night as the redshirt senior hit the crossbar with a shot in the 17th minute that would have tied the game at one.

Though the one-goal differential, JMU outshot Xavier 13-2 in the contest and took nine corner kicks to Xavier’s one.

The Dukes finish the JMU Invitational on Sunday, August 24, in a 2 p.m. match against UMass at University Park. The Minutewomen battled Towson to a 1-1 draw in Friday’s tournament opener prior to JMU and Xavier.

Sunday’s game between JMU and UMass airs on MadiZONE HD SportsNet, presented by the JMU Alumni Association.