#16 Dukes Clinch CAA’s Top Seed with 19-7 Triumph at Drexel

Friday, April 21

Philadelphia, Pa.

5 p.m.

James Madison University

11-5, 5-0

Drexel

7-7, 2-2

James Madison

Drexel

#16 Dukes Clinch CAA’s Top Seed with 19-7 Triumph at Drexel

4/21/2017 9:00:00 PM | Lacrosse

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PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Junior attacker Kristen Gaudian scored a career-best five goals and 16th-ranked James Madison erupted for 14 first-half scores en route to a dominant 19-7 Colonial Athletic Association women's lacrosse win at Drexel Friday evening at Vidas Field.

The Dukes won their fifth straight, improving to 11-5 overall and 5-0 in CAA play, while the Dragons dropped to 7-7 and 2-2. The win, coupled with Towson's 8-5 victory at Delaware, secured the No. 1 seed for the Dukes at the 2017 CAA Women's Lacrosse Championship.

Gaudian tallied a career-high seven points off her career-best five scores and two assists, which matched her personal best. She tied her career high of four goals in the first half alone. Gaudian struck for three of JMU's six free-position goals, marking her new single-game best from the 8-meter.

She was one of four Dukes to record hat tricks, as junior midfielder Elena Romesburg tied her career high of four points off three goals and an assist. Senior attacker Margaret Tucker Fogarty and freshman midfielder Maddie McDaniel each had three tallies. The trio's three goals were one goal shy of each of their respective career highs. Sophomore midfielder Hanna Haven scored twice, and both junior attacker Katie Kerrigan and senior attacker Leah Monticello dished out a pair of assists.

Freshman midfielder Halle Duenkel led the defensive charge with a career-best four caused turnovers, to go with two draw controls and a ground ball. Junior midfielder Haley Warden notched four draw controls and three ground balls, and senior attacker Hannah Jablonski won three draws.

JMU dominated play in the offensive end, out-shooting the Dragons 37-14, including a 29-9 mark in shots on goal. The lopsided shots advantage was due in large part to a 19-9 lead in draw controls. The Dukes also committed five less turnovers and was called for 14 fewer fouls in the game. DU was paced by Lisa Rogers and Caroline Cummings, who each had two goals. Caroline Thiele had two assists, and Carlee Ries made a game-high nine saves.

JMU opened the game scoring three straight and used three two-goal runs to up its lead to 9-3 with 12:34 to play. After a Drexel goal, JMU scored the next five to take a 14-4 lead, activating the running clock for the first time of the night. Drexel used a 3-0 run to trim its deficit to 14-7, but the Dukes held the hosts off the scoreboard for the final 22 minutes, scoring the game's final five goals.

QUOTING COACH SHELLEY
"Tonight's win was due to a combination of strong defensive play with unstoppable ball movement in the attacking end," Head Coach Shelley Klaes-Bawcombe said. "I feel like half of our goals could've been highlights with our ball movement, and it was really great to see."

POSTGAME ON LSN

LSN chats with @kgaudian14 and @JMUCoachShelley following the 19-7 triumph at Drexel. #GoDukes #DDP pic.twitter.com/F2qZngWzSY
— JMU Lacrosse (@JMULacrosse) April 21, 2017

REGULAR-SEASON CHAMPS
There isn't a trophy given out for winning the regular season, but for the second straight year, the Dukes secured the No. 1 seed for next month's CAA Championship, hosted by Towson. JMU will have an opportunity Sunday to go unbeaten in conference play for just the fifth time as a member of the CAA and for the first time since 2010. The Dukes clinched the outright regular-season crown for the sixth time since joining the league in 1992 and has now won at least a share 11 times.

GOAL OF THE NIGHT

What a spin and a shot for the goal, Miss Shannon! #GoDukes #CAALax pic.twitter.com/KLJJI2wrLg
— JMU Lacrosse (@JMULacrosse) April 21, 2017

Shannon Quinlan with a nifty spin move and she fires a shot for her 6th goal of 2017.

LIGHT 'EM UP
JMU's offense has proven to be difficult for any CAA opponent, scoring 11 or more goals in four straight games. During league play, the Dukes have averaged wins by a margin of 14.0 to 6.2 and has held three CAA foes to just five goals.

DUENKEL FINDS GROOVE ON DEFENSE
Halle Duenkel turned in her finest performance in the defensive end Friday. She had caused just three turnovers all season, which included two in last week's Hofstra win, but she caused four in Philadelphia to more than double her season total. Duenkel also won a career-high two draw controls and collected a ground ball.

"Our entire team gives everyone the confidence to play their best and go outside their comfort zone," Duenkel said. "Tonight, with the help of my teammates and the trust, I was able to go out and take a few more risks than I normally would knowing my team had my back."

SEASON/CAREER WATCH
Following tonight's game, five players moved up JMU's single-season top-20 charts. Haley Warden moved into a tie for sixth in draw controls (52) and a tie for 16th in ground balls (45). Katie Kerrigan's two assists moved her into a tie for fourth (35), and Rebecca Tooker added a caused turnover to slide into a tie for 18th (25). Kristen Gaudian scored three free-position goals to now rank fourth (13), and Hanna Haven entered the top 20 in the same category (9).

On the career list, Warden is now tied for eighth in draw controls (120), and Elena Romesburg is tied for 16th in free-position scores (18).

UP NEXT
JMU closes the regular season on Sunday, April 23 when it heads to Newark, Del., to face Delaware. The Blue Hens (7-7, 2-2) dropped an 8-5 decision Friday to No. 17 Towson. The game is set for a 1 p.m. start and will be streamed live on Hens All-Access.

"We're trying to send a message to the conference that we're here to play," Klaes-Bawcombe said. "We're not going to allow an opponent, a situation or bad game to take us down. We want to win the tournament title and have the opportunity to host the CAA Championship here at JMU next season."