Dukes Punch CAA Finals Ticket in 2-1 Win Over Charleston

Sunday, October 28

Harrisonburg, Va.

1 p.m.

James Madison University

11-7-1

College of Charleston

11-8-1

Charleston

James Madison

Dukes Punch CAA Finals Ticket in 2-1 Win Over Charleston

10/28/2018 6:31:00 PM | Women's Soccer

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HARRISONBURG, Va. - James Madison punched its ticket to the Colonial Athletic Association tournament final on Sunday afternoon, using goals from senior Stephanie Hendrie and junior Haley Crawford to pick up a 2-1 win over fourth-seeded College of Charleston in the CAA Semifinals at Sentara Park.

The Dukes (11-7-1) and Hendrie opened the scoring inside a quarter-hour, but Crawford delivered the game-winner with just 10:58 remaining to push JMU past the Cougars (11-8-1) and into its third championship match in the last six years.

Crawford, sophomore Ginger Deel and sophomore Maia Foley led a balanced attack with two shots apiece as the Dukes outshot Charleston by a 10-6 margin, including a 6-3 edge in shots on goal in a tightly-contested match. Junior Hannah McShea needed just a pair of saves in the win, but smothered numerous opportunities as the JMU backline held CAA Player of the Year Laura Ortega to just a pair of off-target shots on the day.

HOW THEY SCORED
College of Charleston
16' | Trailing 1-0, the Cougars equalized almost immediately, with Raymara Barreto flicking home a 35-yard free kick from Laura Ortega to level things.
JMU
12' | Hendrie got the Dukes on the board early, burying her first goal of the season after Deel forced a diving save on her low shot. The senior beat a defender to the rebound on the back post, burying the opener from just six yards out.
80' | Crawford slammed home her fifth game-winning goal in 11 matches in a similar setting when freshman Morgan Sherman drilled the underside of the crossbar on a bending shot from 20 yards. After two bounces, Crawford ripped a half-volley home to provide the winner.

QUOTING COACH WALTERS
"This was playoff soccer, a tight game between two teams that fought for every inch of grass on the field. I felt like we could wear down College of Charleston and felt that both our starters and reserves did a good job to create chances. On both our goals, it was the unselfish extra runs in the box that led to the chances. We're thrilled that Stephanie Hendrie found her first of the year and that Haley Crawford did what she's done all year: finish!"

CLIMBING THE RECORD BOOKS
With her goal on Sunday, the 21st of her career, junior forward Haley Crawford continued her march up the JMU career lists. She now holds sole possession of 15th on the all-time scoring list, two goals behind Kristi Palmaccio (1993-96), and her 64 career points are the 13th-most in program history, just behind Aimee Grahe (1996-99) in 12th with 72.

CAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The Dukes' win on Sunday earned them a spot in the CAA Finals for the third time in the last six years, having fallen to Northeastern in 2013 before winning the title over William & Mary in 2015. In all, JMU has made the finals of the tournament nine times across 24 opportunities.

UP NEXT
The top-seeded Dukes will look to secure the fifth CAA Tournament title in program history on Saturday, Nov. 3, when they welcome No. 3 Hofstra to Sentara Park for the championship match at 1 p.m.