Box ScorePHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The James Madison women's soccer team dropped its second match of the season Friday night, falling 3-0 at the Higgins Soccer Complex on the road against Villanova.
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The Dukes and Wildcats battled through a scoreless first half, but three goals in 27 minutes in the second half was enough to put the Dukes away.
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In the 53rd minute, Caitlin Forte scored her first goal of the season to put Villanova (2-3-1) on top. Forte took a ball from Amanda Vocelka in the box and put her shot past redshirt junior goalkeeper
Ellen Forrest (Midlothian, Va./James River) on the left side of net from six yards out.
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Thirteen minutes later, the Wildcats doubled their lead on Victoria Gersh's second goal of the season. The senior midfielder put a penalty kick past Forrest after the Dukes had been called for a foul in the box.
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Reanna Marino added the third and final goal for Villanova in the 80th minute on a long pass from Forte.
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The loss marks the first time the Dukes have lost to Villanova in program history. JMU owned a series advantage of 7-0-1 prior to Friday's contest.
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The Dukes (4-2) outshot Villanova 19-15 in the contest, but only three of the Dukes' shots were on goal while the Wildcats put seven shots on target.
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JMU had a quality chance just before Villanova scored the first goal of the contest when freshman forward
Caroline Fitzgerald (Arlington, Va./Washington-Lee) took a shot that was blocked. The rebound bounced out to sophomore forward
Ashley Herndon (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) but her shot was saved by Villanova goalkeeper Emma Meyer.
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Forrest made five saves in the contest, including stopping a one-on-one breakaway chance against Vocelka. Redshirt senior
Kate Courter (Lincoln Park, N.J./Immaculate Heart) came on to finish out the last 8:34 of the game between the pipes.
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Herndon took a team-high four shots, but only one was on target. Sophomore midfielder
Allie Bunner (Bristow, Va./Patriot), redshirt senior forward
Sam Lofton (Lock Haven, Pa./Central Mountain) and junior forward
Rachel Ivey (South Riding, Va./Freedom) each had three shots in the contest.
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The Dukes stay in Philadelphia for the remainder of the weekend and take on La Salle Sunday afternoon, Sept. 14, at 1 p.m. before returning home to University Park on Friday, Sept. 19, for a 5 p.m. match against Appalachian State.