No. 18 James Madison Defeats Delaware In Tight Battle, 8-6

Sunday, April 19

Harrisonburg, Va.

1 p.m.

James Madison University

12-4 (4-1CAA)

Delaware

11-6 (4-2CAA)

Delaware

James Madison

No. 18 James Madison Defeats Delaware In Tight Battle, 8-6

4/19/2015 2:28:00 PM | Lacrosse

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va. – No. 18 James Madison battled a pesky Delaware squad before coming away with a victory at University Park, April 19. With the victory on Senior Day, the Dukes improved to 12-4 and 4-1 in the Colonial Athletic Association and secured the second seed for the 2015 CAA Championship. The Blue Hens fell to 11-6 and 4-2 in the league.

The teams were close throughout, as Delaware had a slight advantage in shots, 20-19, but JMU held a distinct edge in draw controls, 10-6, and ground balls, 15-11. The Dukes did turn the ball over eight times as compared to the Blue Hens six, but the visitors also could not convert free position shots, going just 2-for-10.

Senior midfielder Alison Curwin led the Dukes with three goals, while five other Dukes had a goal each. Junior midfielders Taylor Gress and Jaci Gordon also added two assists each to their one goal tally. Senior goalkeeper Schylar Healy had 10 saves, her second straight game and seventh of the season with double-digit saves.

Delaware was led by Jamie Schwartz with two goals, with four others scoring single goals. Alex Zaugra had seven saves for the Blue Hens in the loss.
UD tried to control the game and the clock with a very deliberate offense and got on the board first on Schwartz's goal just over six minutes into the game.

However, JMU got three of the next four, including two by Curwin, to take a 3-2 lead. Delaware knotted it up at three on Shannon Hawley's score, but the Dukes put together the final two of the half, including senior attacker Stephanie Finley's goal with 34 seconds remaining in the period, to lead 5-3 at the halftime break.

JMU got on the board quick in the second half, as Gordon got her score with 28:36 to play. However, the Blue Hens contolled the ball for a good portion of the next 20 minutes and score three unanswered to tie the game at six with 18:21 remaining. Neither team could find the opening until JMU broke through with just over seven minutes to play on redshirt-sophomore attacker Betsy Angel's goal to put the home team up 7-6 with 7:03 to go. JMU's defense continued to hold strong and Curwin added an insurance goal with 3:30 remaining. Madison then got control of the next draw and maintained possession for all but the final seconds to earn the win.

The Dukes will conclude the regular season at William & Mary on Saturday, April 25 at 1 p.m. Madison and Delaware will see each other again on Friday, May 1 in the 2015 CAA Championship semifinals, as UD will be the No. 3 seed and take on JMU at 7 p.m. at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Del.