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James Madison University
Loyola
LOYOLA TOPS DUKES 12-8 IN LACROSSE
3/20/2010 8:01:00 PM | Lacrosse
HARRISONBURG, Va., March 20, 2010 - Juniors Meg Decker (Catonsville, Md./Mount de Sales Academy) and Grace Gavin (Baltimore, Md./St. Paul's) each scored three goals to lead 17th-ranked (IWLCA) Loyola to a 12-8 non-conference women's lacrosse victory over James Madison at the JMU Lacrosse Complex Saturday.
Decker scored twice during the opening half while Loyola was taking a 6-5 lead, and Gavin had all of her goals during the final period, including two during a 2:24 period that gave the Greyhounds a 9-6 lead with 25:30 to play.
The loss was the first in seven games this season for JMU, while Loyola raised its record to 6-3.
Three JMU players had two goals each, including redshirt freshman Casey Ancarrow (Jarrettsville, Md./John Carroll), junior Mary Kate Lomady (Abington, Pa./Abington), and sophomore Ariel Lane (Vero Beach, Fla./Vero Beach).
Loyola took control with four goals during a 2:40 span of the opening the opening half. After trailing 4-2, the Greyhounds got scores from four players while building a 6-4 advantage with 4:25 left in the half. JMU cut the margin to one by halftime and trailed only 9-8 before not scoring during the contest's final 22 minutes. In that span the Dukes took six shots, four of which were saved by Loyola goalkeeper Kerry Stoothoff (Blue Point, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point), and the other two missed the mark.
Goals by junior Caitlin Sullivan (Kennesaw, Ga./Harrison) with 24:10 to play and sophomore Caitlin McHugh (Westminster, Md./Mercy) with 22:29 left got the Dukes to within 9-8, but Decker's third goal at 20:50 raised the Loyola lead to 10-8. The Greyhounds added a goal at 9:22 for an 11-8 lead and scored with 10 seconds left against an empty net.
Loyola had 31 shots on goal to JMU's 20 and converted on three of 12 free-position shots to the Dukes' one of six.
JMU senior goalkeeper Morgan Kelly (Annapolis, Md./St. Mary's) had a season-high 13 saves and Stoothoff nine.
JMU returns to action Wednesday (March 24) in a 7 p.m. game at Virginia.
