2013 JMU Football Game Program - UAlbany

WOMEN’S SOCCER INTO CAA ACTION After two consecutive years of narrowly missing the conference Hyland leads the team with three goals and 10 points. Right behind tournament, the James Madison women’s soccer team has used a her are a pair of freshmen, Meghan Cox and Ashley Herndon, with mix of veteran leadership and freshmen talent to make the first half three goals apiece, followed by senior Lauren Wilson, who is top-10 of the 2013 season the start of a quick turnaround. on JMU’s career goals list, and freshman Sydney Braun-McLeod with two goals.

The Dukes entered conference play riding a five-game winning streak, the program’s longest since 2010 when it advanced to the Additional good news for the Dukes as they continue conference second round of the NCAA Tournament. The eight wins already surplay is that they have played in every type of game and have won passed the team’s win total from last season and matched the team’s every way possible. They opened the season with a dominant win, eight total wins in 2011. they have multiple games where they jumped out to a lead and held on, and they posted their Six games into the season, JMU was sitting at 3-3, including first come-from-behind win losses to Fordham, the top-ranked team in the NSCAA Mid-Atlantic with two second half goals Region, and Virginia Tech, a team that appears in the national rankagainst George Mason. ings. At that point head coach Dave Lombardo said the team needed to reel off some wins in order to separate itself from other teams in Twice during the fivethe pack. game winning streak, the Dukes gave up two-goal That was the beginning of the streak as the Dukes beat Charlotte, leads in the second half.

Davidson, UNCG, Longwood and George Mason. Within that streak They responded quickly was another streak, three with the game-winning goal straight shutouts, which in both of those games. was one shy of the program record.

“A year ago we may have lost those games. We Coach Lombardo said the would have kind of thought success defensively was ‘here we go again, things a result of multiple factors, aren’t going in the right including strong goalie play Shannon Rano direction.’”

We have shown by first-year starter Ellen a grit and resolve to grab Forrest, but one of the main the game again and take causes was the move of control of it. I’m proud of them for doing that,” Lombardo said. junior Sam Lofton back to her natural position.

The winning streak came to an end with a 2-1 loss to William & Mary in the CAA opener on Saturday, dropping the team to 8-4-0, but “We moved Sam Lofton with seven conference games remaining on the schedule, the Dukes back to her left back are still in sight of what Lombardo says will give them the best shot position, where she was allSam Lofton at an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. That’s if they need it, of conference as a freshman. course, as a conference championship and automatic bid would be She had a string of injuries the ideal scenario. that forced her to redshirt last season,” Lombardo said. “There was some question when she “I think it’s circumstantial. I used to always say around 13 wins came back of was she going to be able to play that position, because and no more than five or six losses would get you in, but that’s she couldn’t really turn and have the coverage speed she used to changed in recent years,” Lombardo said. “RPI has become more have. Having her there really solidifies us in the and more important for at-large consideration. If back. Shannon Rano and Becky Sparks have we can win the conference and get the autoplayed tremendously together, and Madyson matic qualifier then we don’t have to worry about Brown has really come alive.” it. If not, then we’d like to have 13, 14, 15 wins to give ourselves the best chance possible.”

Offensively, JMU has used a balanced attack, which is Lombardo’s preference. The team’s 22 Lombardo and the Dukes are no strangers to goals have been scored by 12 different players. the NCAA Tournament with 10 appearances in the past 18 years. They only qualified as confer“There are no secrets anymore; everyone has ence champions three times. access to the video. If you have a go-to player who is responsible for 70-80 percent of your “We have a reputation of being a strong proscoring, it’s easy to shut them down, and if no gram and we also have a very good reputation of one is stepping up then you end up losing those once we get into the NCAA Tournament, we stay games,” Lombardo said. in it,” Lombardo said. “I think that goes in our favor, but right now we need to stay focused on While the play on the field is proof enough one game at a time and worry about that when that the older and younger players have come the time comes.” together to create a winning formula, the stats Madyson Brown sheet provides tangible proof. Junior Katie 2013 JMU Football Program - 44