Field Hockey Falls To No. 6 Ohio State, 2-0

Sunday, September 4

Harrisonburg, Va.

2:00 PM

James Madison University

Ohio State

9/4/2011 8:25:00 PM | Field Hockey

HARRISONBURG, Va., Sept. 4, 2011 – Senior goalkeeper Margo Savage (Virginia Beach, Va./Princess Anne) turned away nine shots for the James Madison field hockey team, but No. 6 Ohio State got a pair of late goals to pick up a 2-0 win at the JMU Field Hockey Complex on Sunday.

The loss drops JMU to 1-2 on the season while OSU completed a 2-0 weekend to improve to 2-3 this season.

“We're growing,” head field hockey coach Antoinette Lucas said. “We're getting better and what I'm proud of from today is that we played very well together. I thought we were organized a majority of the game. We fought hard and never gave up.”

Savage drew the start in the net for Madison, her first of the season. Her nine saves was just one off her career-high of ten set last season against Richmond. She took the loss to drop to 0-1 on the year.

Ally Tunitis pitched the shutout to earn the win. She improved to 2-3 on the year after making a save on the only shot she faced.

Danica Deckard paced the Buckeyes offensively with a goal and assist. She added a game-high eight shots, six of which were on goal while Berta Queralt added a goal on five shots.

JMU got shots from senior back Lindsay Cutchins (Suffolk, Va./Lakeland), redshirt sophomore midfielder Courtney Versfeld (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe/Dominican Convent) and freshman midfielder Ysaline Nobels (Dion-Valmont, Belgium/College du Christ-Roi) to lead the team offensively.

OSU outshot Madison 18-3 in the game and held an 8-2 advantage in penalty corners.

The game was tied through the first 60 minutes of action before Deckard finally broke up the shutout with an unassisted goal. The junior used her speed to chase down a ball in the right corner and dribbled into the circle along the baseline. Savage turned aside the initial shot, but the ball bounced right back to Deckard who swatted it into the