JMU women’s soccer rolls past Hofstra, 3-1

The James Madison women’s soccer team scored three unanswered goals to top Hofstra 3-1 in Colonial Athletic Association action Friday night at Hofstra Soccer Stadium.

The Dukes conceded an early goal in the sixth minute when Jeannine Molleda scored her first of the season, but JMU responded in the 30th minute when senior defender Kelly Abt (Sterling, Va./Potomac Falls) tallied her first career goal. Abt’s goal came on a rocket from the top of the box that glanced off the bottom of the crossbar and in.

Sophomore forward Ashley Herndon (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) put JMU ahead for good in the 51st minute with her third goal of the season. Herndon received a cross from senior forward Katie Hyland (Islip, N.Y./Islip) right in front of goal and put her shot past Hofstra goalkeeper Friederike Mehring. Herndon tallied three points on the night after assisting on Abt’s goal earlier in the game to raise her team-high total to 13 in 2014.

JMU got an insurance goal in the 69th minute when junior midfielder Kelly Kerrigan (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown East) forced a turnover in front of the Hofstra goal and made the Pride pay for it with her second goal of the season. Kerrigan has now scored in each of the last two games.

JMU kept Sam Scolarici, the CAA’s leading scorer, off the score sheet with a strong defensive effort. Entering Fridaynight, Scolarici had scored 12 goals in 2014. The Dukes only allowed Hofstra to take two shots in the second half to finish with a 15-8 advantage in shots.

In two CAA games this season, the Dukes have scored three-plus goals in each of the contests. JMU didn’t score more than two goals in a contest throughout the 10-game nonconference slate. The Dukes topped Towson last Friday, Sept. 26, by the score of 4-2.

Hofstra was picked to win the CAA regular season title in the Preseason poll, as the Pride received 74 points and three first-place votes while JMU was picked to finish second with 71 points and four first-place votes.

The win moves JMU to 7-5 overall and 2-0 in the CAA. Hofstra falls to 6-6 overall and 1-2 in CAA action. The Dukes improved to 9-5-2 all-time against Hofstra.

JMU finishes its five-game road trip Sunday afternoon, Oct. 5, in Boston, Massachusetts, against Northeastern. The Huskies topped JMU in the CAA Tournament Finals last season at University Park 3-1 after the Dukes topped Northeastern 2-0 in the regular season.