#19 Field Hockey Opens 2017 with 3-1 Victory at #25 Liberty

Saturday, August 26

Lynchburg, Va.

1 p.m.

James Madison University

(1-0)

Liberty

(0-1)

JMU

Liberty

#19 Field Hockey Opens 2017 with 3-1 Victory at #25 Liberty

8/26/2017 3:17:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

LYNCHBURG, Va. – No. 19 James Madison field hockey defeated No. 25 Liberty on Saturday afternoon in both teams' season openers.

The Dukes (1-0) led by as many as three over the Flames (0-1), talled by junior Ashley Gippe and junior Miranda Rigg.

HOW IT HAPPENED

A.Gippe dropped a reverse shot into the left corner 17:08 into the first half.
Rigg had a double-goal day, scoring off a redirect at the 31:40 mark of the first half and off the crossbar just 3:58 into the second half.
JMU led Liberty in shots (17-7) and corners (6-5).

TOP 25
Today's victory is the sixth over a top-25 program for JMU in the last four years.

? A top-25 win
? 2 goals for @LiLRiGgY6
? 1st goal of the season from @AGippe
? 1st assist of the season from @hannah_hall2 #GoDukes pic.twitter.com/Crav18n7KX
— JMU Field Hockey (@JMUFieldHockey) August 26, 2017

SERIES NOTES

JMU leads the series 2-1.
This is the first win for the Dukes in Lynchburg.
JMU is 2-0 against Liberty when the Flames are nationally ranked.
The Dukes and Flames have faced off in each of the last three season openers.

SEASON OPENERS
JMU has won its last two season openers, both against Liberty, and five of its last six. The Dukes are 9-4 all-time in season openers under Head Coach Christy Morgan.

FIRST ON THE FIELD
Freshman Rachel Yeager earned a start in her collegiate debut. Freshman Phoebe Large and sophomore Mattea Harris also earned their first collegiate playing time for the Dukes in the victory.

UP NEXT
JMU returns to Harrisonburg for the first of five-straight home games. No. 19 JMU hosts No. 23 Old Dominion on Wednesday, Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. in the Dukes' home opener.