Second-Half Push Lifts Field Hockey Over Cal, 2-1

Sunday, October 23

Berkeley, Calif.

4 p.m. (1 p.m. PST)

James Madison University

(10-6)

Cal

(4-9)

James Madison

CAL

Morgan Merritt vs Saint Francis 09232022

10/23/2022 6:07:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

BERKELEY, Calif. -- After a scoreless first half, James Madison struck twice in the second to earn a 2-1 road win at Cal on Sunday afternoon at Underhill field.

JMU improves to 10-6 with one game remaining on the schedule. The Golden Bears sit at 4-9 (3-3 American East) and will head east to take on UMass Lowell on Friday, Oct. 28.

Freshman Skyler Brown registered her first-career goal, while senior Morgan Merritt added her fourth of the season. Graduate student Kara McClure and senior Eveline Zwager added assists in the winning effort. Junior Brandelynn Heinbaugh started in goal and picked up her eighth win of the season.

How It Happened

JMU played stingy defense, not allowing a single Cal shot until the third quarter.
Brown helped the Dukes break through in the final minute of the third quarter with a deflection off a McClure shot.
Early in the final period, James Madison scored on a penalty corner, as Merritt let it fly from the top of the circle with an assist from Zwager.
The Golden Bears responded minutes later on a penalty corner opportunity, but the Dukes managed to hold Cal to no shots for the final eight minutes.

Game Notes

The Dukes held the advantage in shots (17-2), shots on goal (9-1), and penalty corners (6-2). Two shots are the least allowed by JMU thus far in 2022.
The win gives James Madison a 5-0 record against Cal dating back to 1985.
With 10 wins, the Dukes have produced back-to-back seasons with double-digit wins since 2016-2017.
Zwager has earned points in five consecutive games where she's totaled 14 of her 27 points this season. Additionally, the senior's 27 points (10 goals, seven assists) lead the team. The forward also boasts 89 career points to move to 16th in the program record book.
McClure tallied her 13th assist of the season and the 25th of her career. The graduate student is now tied with former Duke Hannah Hall (2014-2017) for 11th in school history.
Brown became the 12th player to score for JMU this season and the 16th to register a point.

Quoting Head Coach Christy Morgan
"We fought a great deal of adversity on this trip and learned a lot! I love this team and we are capable of anything. My hope is that we continue on our journey as long as possible."

Up Next
James Madison will trek north for its regular-season finale at Rutgers on Sunday, Oct. 30. Game time in Piscataway, N.J. is scheduled for 1 p.m.