Lucchesi's OT Winner Lifts #12 JMU Past High Point in Snowy Opener

Friday, February 26

Harrisonburg, Va.

4 p.m.

James Madison University

1-0

High Point

1-2

High Point

James Madison

Lucchesi's OT Winner Lifts #12 JMU Past High Point in Snowy Opener

2/26/2021 8:08:00 PM | Lacrosse

Box Score Photo Gallery

HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison lacrosse used a late goal to force overtime, and redshirt junior Daria Lucchesi shot home the game winner 75 seconds into the extra period, lifting the 12th-ranked Dukes to a thrilling 10-9 victory against High Point on a snowy evening at Sentara Park.

The Dukes improved to 1-0 on the young season, while the Panthers dropped to 1-2. JMU also improved to 6-1 all-time against HPU, having won five straight in the series.

High Point led 9-8 with a minute to play before redshirt freshman Tai Jankowski slid past a defender and buried the tying goal with 54 seconds to play. Both teams had possessions in the final seconds, but the clock hit zeroes to force overtime.

The Panthers won the draw in overtime, but a caused turnover in the midfield by redshirt sophomore Emma Greenhill gave JMU possession in the opening seconds. A minute later redshirt sophomore Kacey Knobloch fed a pass in front to Lucchesi, who beat the keeper to clinch the victory.

Jankowski led all players with four points off two goals and two assists, the first points of her career. Playing in her first collegiate game, freshman Katelyn Morgan recorded a hat trick on four shots. Redshirt sophomore Rachel Matey scored twice, while Knobloch dished out a career-best four assists.

Defensively, JMU tallied 16 caused turnovers, led by redshirt senior Emma Johnson, who had a career-high five. Johnson had a game-best 10 hustle stats, adding a draw control and four ground balls, matching her career best.

Redshirt sophomore Kat Buchanan earned her first career victory between the pipes, making four saves with three caused turnovers and a game-high five ground balls, all of which were career highs. Freshman Nicholle Marshall and Carolyn Thistlewaite each caused a pair of turnovers, and redshirt sophomore Lizzy Fox collected four ground balls.

For HPU, Abby Hormes had three goals, one assist and four draws, and Rachel Foster tallied two goals and a helper. Sarah Zeto also made eight stops in the cage.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

JMU out-shot High Point 25-21, including 18-13 in shots on goal.
Draw controls favored JMU by just one, at 11-10, as freshman Charlotte Smith won a game-high five. Matey had three and Greenhill added a pair of draw wins.
The conditions gave way to numerous turnovers, as the teams combined for 46.
JMU had 16 caused turnovers on HPU's 24 giveaways, while the visitors had seven caused turnovers.
The Dukes also led 28-22 on ground balls, and each team converted 20 clears.

ONE WIN FROM 500
JMU's season-opening victory marked the 499th in program history. With one more win, the Dukes would become the fifth team in NCAA Division I history to reach the 500-win club.

QUOTING SHELLEY KLAES
"It was a gutty win for the Dukes, it was an ugly match. High Point was definitely ready for us today, and I'm just so proud of the resilience this team has shown over the last couple of weeks, gutting out this win today. We'll take it."

UP NEXT
JMU is back home again next Wednesday, March 3 to host George Mason. The opening draw is set for 3 p.m. at Sentara Park.