JMU Upends #18 Towson 11-9 to Win Share of Regular-Season Title

Sunday, April 24

Towson, Md.

Noon

James Madison University

9-8, 5-1CAA

Towson

12-3, 5-1CAA

James Madison

Towson

JMU Upends #18 Towson 11-9 to Win Share of Regular-Season Title

4/24/2016 2:58:00 PM | Lacrosse

Box Score

TOWSON, Md. – James Madison scored four of the game's final five goals over the last 17:01 to beat 18th-ranked Towson 11-9 on Sunday afternoon at Johnny Unitas Stadium, earning a share of the Colonial Athletic Association regular-season championship.

The Dukes improved to 9-8 overall and 5-1 in CAA play and will be the No. 1 seed for the CAA Championship, hosted by Drexel in Philadelphia on May 6-8. JMU snapped Towson's six-game win streak as the Tigers fell to 12-3 and 5-1. TU will be the No. 2 seed for the conference tournament.The win was also JMU's third in a row against Towson as the Dukes improved to 28-12 all-time in the series.

Trailing 8-7, JMU's defense clamped down, conceding just one goal over the final 23:20. Senior midfielder Taylor Gress tied the game at 8-8 with just over 17 minutes left and senior attacker Betsy Angel gave the Dukes the lead with a free-position score, beating the keeper on the near-side post with 12:31 left.

Sophomore attacker Katie Kerrigan notched her first career goal with 10:05 remaining, firing a shot from practically behind the pipe that angled its way in for the 10-8 lead. After TU scored 20 seconds later to make it a one-goal game, senior midfielder Jaci Gordon provided insurance with her third tally with 5:14 on the clock.

Gordon led the way for JMU with a game-high four points off three goals and one assist. Angel produced two goals and a helper while both Gress and sophomore attacker Kristen Gaudian scored two goals apiece.

Between the pipes, Harmeyer improved to 5-3 this year after making four saves while facing 16 shots (13 on goal). Defensively, Gordon and sophomore midfielder Elena Romesburg both had a pair of ground balls while six different Dukes had one caused turnover.

Towson was paced by Alyssa Ferro, who scored three goals while Kaitlyn Montalbano, TU's best all-around player, was limited to just two goals and two ground balls.

KLAES-BAWCOMBE POSTGAME - Watch the postgame interview with players Angel and Gordon

REGULAR-SEASON SUPREMACY
JMU won at least a share of the CAA regular-season title for the 10th time today since the league began lacrosse in 1992. Of the 10, this is the fourth occurrence in which JMU and Towson shared the crown. The Dukes also earned the No. 1 seed for the CAA Championship for the seventh time in history.

TWEET OF THE DAY

Congrats @JMULacrosse on your regular season title. #GoDukes!
— JMU Swimming&Diving (@JMUSwimDive) April 24, 2016

KERRIGAN WITH A MONSTER FIRST GOAL
Katie Kerrigan scored her first career goal at JMU with 10:05 remaining and would be the eventual game-winning score. Circling around the cage, Kerrigan fired a shot that angled its way in with very little space on the open net.

PHOTO OF THE DAY - Watch Full Game Highlights
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Courtesy of Towson Athletics

GAUDIAN SETS TONE IN FIRST
Kristen Gaudian recorded the first two-goal game of her career with a pair of first-half tallies. She accomplished her best offensive outing on just two shots.

UP NEXT
JMU will have next week off before departing for Philadelphia and the 2016 CAA Women's Lacrosse Championship, May 6-8. JMU's opponent is yet to be determined as the final seeds will be revealed following the final two CAA regular-season games.