JMU Handles VCU for 7-2 Victory

Sunday, September 13

Harrisonburg, Va.

1 p.m.

James Madison University

(4-1)

VCU

(1-4)

VCU

James Madison

9/13/2015 3:12:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va. – The James Madison field hockey team (4-1) used five second-half goals to pull away for a 7-2 win over VCU (1-4) Sunday afternoon at home.

JMU headed into the second half with a 2-0 lead over VCU, but the Rams cut the edge in half with a corner goal in the 40th minute. Five minutes later, freshman Miranda Rigg deflected in a quick pass from sophomore Melanie Kusakavitch to spark a three-goal run by the Dukes, pushing to a 5-1 advantage.

The Rams added a goal with less than 10 minutes to play, but JMU was able to counter and finished with an additional two scores. Freshman Ashley Gippe scored the first points of her collegiate career, deflecting in a pass from sophomore Hannah Hall.

Six Dukes scored in JMU's fourth consecutive victory, with freshman Melissa Wilken the lone multi-goal scorer. As a team, JMU outshot VCU 25-8, including a 15-1 advantage in the first half. The Dukes also put 17 shots on goal compared to seven by the Rams, securing a fourth win for sophomore Sara Kraeutler.

Quoting Coach Morgan on the Balanced Attack
"To have such a variety of great goal scorers, it says we've got great versatility and great power in numbers. We are a very connected group and I think that's one of our strengths. People will step up when they need to step up."

Tweet of the Game:

JMU answers VCU's goal with one of their own! Great shot by Ashley Gippe to keep the Dukes on top 6-2! #GoDukes pic.twitter.com/ik6T4x2D8I
— JMU Field Hockey (@JMU_FieldHockey) September 13, 2015

Unsung Hero:
Freshman Emma Drost had a big impact on defense for the Dukes on Sunday, serving as a steady force in the backfield.

Moving Up the Record Boards:

Redshirt senior Taylor West used a penalty stroke in the 27^th minutes to break a pair of ties for seventh place in the record books. She is now in sole possession of seventh in all-time goals (43) and in all-time points (102).
Head Coach Christy Morgan notched her 149^th career victory at the helm of the Dukes (149-75-2). She is 154-89-2 overall as a head coach.

Photo of the Game:
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Goalie Sara Kraeutler makes a diving save on a corner. For the full photo gallery, click here.

Up Next:
The Dukes hit the road for a swing through North Carolina. JMU heads to Appalachian State on Friday, Sept. 18, for a 3 p.m. game, and travels to Chapel Hill, N.C., for a neutral-site showdown with No. 11 Louisville on Sunday, Sept. 20, at 11 a.m.