#8 JMU SHUTS OUT WILLIAM & MARY 3-0

Sunday, October 21

Harrisonburg, Va.

1 p.m.

James Madison University

William and Mary

10/21/2007 4:00:00 AM | Field Hockey

HARRISONBURG, Va., Oct. 21, 2007 ? James Madison University posted its seventh shutout of the season and first in the last seven matches in a 3-0 victory over the College of William & Mary in a Colonial Athletic Association match on Sunday afternoon at the JMU Field Hockey Complex.

JMU, ranked eighth in the STX/National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll, improved to 14-3 overall and 6-1 in the CAA. The Dukes clinched the second seed and a first-round bye in the CAA tournament with the win. W&M fell to 8-9 overall and 2-5 in the CAA.

The teams battled to a scoreless tie in the first half, despite JMU holding an 11-1 advantage in shots and a 3-1 edge in penalty corners.

The Dukes finally jumped on the board 6:24 into the second half when sophomore Meghan Bain (Berlin, N.J./Eastern Regional) corralled the rebound after a succession of two other JMU shots and sent it into the cage for the game winner. It was her eighth goal of the season and team-best sixth game-winning goal.

JMU's second goal came with 15:37 remaining as junior Melissa Stefaniak (Plymouth, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) pushed a short pass to the right to junior Ashley Walls (Berlin, N.J./Eastern Regional), who knocked in the eight-yard shot. It was her fifth goal of the season.

The final goal came with 6:09 left as Stefaniak drove through the circle and dribbled around a defender to fire a shot. It was her team-best ninth goal of the season.

Senior Merel Broekhuizen (Groningen, The Netherlands/Maartens College) started in goal for the Dukes on senior day and had one save. Sophomore Kelsey Cutchins (Suffolk, Va./Lakeland) played the second half with one save. The pair combined on a shutout for the fourth time this season.

JMU led in shots 19-2 and held a 4-2 advantage on penalty corners. Senior Gwen Hunter (Seaville, N.J./Ocean City) had six saves for the Tribe.