JMU Falls Short Against Towson in CAA Title Game, 14-6

Sunday, May 8

Philadelphia, Pa.

1:30 p.m.

James Madison University

10-9

Towson

15-3

Towson

James Madison

5/8/2016 5:09:00 PM | Lacrosse

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA – Second-seeded Towson jumped out to an early 5-1 lead and top-seeded James Madison was never able to climb out of the hole, falling 14-6 in the Colonial Athletic Association Women's Lacrosse championship game Sunday afternoon at Vidas Field.

The Tigers claimed their seventh CAA tournament crown, improving to 15-3 on the year, while the Dukes fell to 10-9 overall. TU earned the league's NCAA automatic berth and JMU will have to wait until tonight's 9 p.m. NCAA Selection Show to see if it receives an at-large bid to the postseason.

Senior attacker Brooks Lawler led the Dukes with three goals and three draw controls on the afternoon. Senior attacker Betsy Angel produced four points off a goal and game-high three assists, while senior midfielder Taylor Gress and sophomore midfielder Elena Romesburg both notched a goal apiece.

Sophomore midfielder Haley Warden paced JMU in the defensive third with three caused turnovers and three ground balls. Gress also had a team-best four draw controls, and senior defender Carter Reifsnider caused a pair of turnovers. Romesburg was active on the draw as well, controlling three of them.

Lawler, Angel and Warden were all recognized on CAA Championship All-Championship Team during the postgame awards ceremony.

Both teams found the back of the cage within the first 75 seconds of the game but the Tigers used a 4-0 run in just over four-and-a-half minutes to gain a 5-1 lead with 22:13 to go. JMU ended its scoring drought of nearly 19 minutes when Angel had a wraparound goal with 9:54 to go in the frame. The Tigers added another score to take a 6-2 lead into the break.

TU opened the second with three straight, growing its lead to 9-2 but the Dukes came back with three of four, two of which were by Lawler, to get to within 10-5 with 16:40 to play. That would be the closest the Dukes could get as Towson ended the title game with four of five scores spanning the final 10:48.

Towson was led by Natalie Sulmonte, who scored four goals while tallying three draw controls. Breanna Hamm was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player after she scored two goals, collected five ground balls and caused four turnovers.

COACH POSTGAME

TRIO OF DUKES NAMED TO ALL-CHAMPIONSHIP SQUAD.
Seniors Brooks Lawler and Betsy Angel and sophomore Haley Warden were all recognized on CAA Championship All-Championship Team. Lawler finished the weekend with five goals and four assists, and Angel had four goals and four assists, while Warden tallied seven caused turnovers, seven ground balls and five draw controls.

LAWLER'S INTENSITY IN THE OFFENSIVE THIRD
Brooks Lawler led the Dukes with three goals as she recorded her sixth hat trick of the season on Sunday. She finished the weekend with a team-best nine points (5g, 4a) and her intensity and physicality helped produce half of the team's goals with her scoring and assisting.

PLAY OF THE GAME

Betsy Angel gets a pass and wraps around for the team's second goal of the game.

WARDEN CAUSING PROBLEMS FOR OPPOSING ATTACKERS
Haley Warden earned a spot on the All-Championship Team not for her offense, but for her ruthless defensive pressure. The sophomore caused seven turnovers tallied seven ground balls, with most of her pickups coming on the turnovers she caused.

BECOMING A NORMAL MEETING ON CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY
JMU and Towson's rivalry has resulted in the two squads playing in five of the past six CAA title games. Towson's win Sunday improved the Tigers' record to 3-2 against the Dukes in championship games. JMU notched wins in 2011 and 2015.

PHOTO OF THE GAME - view full photo gallery
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