Rigg's Hat Trick Powers No. 19 JMU to 5-1 Win over App State

Friday, September 2

Harrisonburg, Va.

6 p.m.

James Madison University

(3-0)

Appalachian State

(0-3)

Appalachian State

JMU

Rigg's Hat Trick Powers No. 19 JMU to 5-1 Win over App State

9/2/2016 10:03:00 PM | Field Hockey

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HARRISONBURG, Va. - Sophomore forward Miranda Rigg scored her first collegiate hat trick to power No. 19 James Madison field hockey (3-0) to a 5-1 win over Appalachian State (0-3) on Friday night.

Rigg got the Dukes on the board early with a goal in the sixth minute of action, picking up a pass from sophomore midfielder Sarah Floeter and firing it home for a 1-0 lead. In the second half, Rigg posted back-to-back goals to push the JMU lead to three (4-1), capping her night with a tip-in off a penalty corner.

Sophomore defender Corey Mayer also scored courtesy of a penalty corner as she sent her first collegiate goal into the cage at the 25:04 mark. Her goal was helped along by Floeter, who tallied her second assist of the night, and sophomore forward Melissa Wilken.

The Mountaineers cut the JMU lead back to one (2-1) just before halftime when Melissa Noble won the ball in a scramble and passed it along to Julia Wenz in front of the cage guarded by junior goalkeeper Sara Kraeutler. The goal was the only one allowed by Kraeutler on the night as the defense held strong, allowing just four shots-on-goal all night by Appalachian State. JMU outshot App State 24-6 on the night, including a 13-4 showing in shots-on-goal that forced Mountaineer goalie Laird Dunn into eight saves.

JMU hits the road for the first time this season on Sunday, Sept. 4 when the Dukes travel to American for a 1 p.m. game in Washington, D.C.

QUOTING COACH MORGAN
"It's about doing the simple and doing the simple well, it's about discipline, having an attitude and competing no matter who the opponent is."

HAT TRICK
Tonight's three goals from Miranda Rigg marked the first time since Nov. 1, 2015 a Duke had a hat trick. In the 2015 regular-season finale, Adrienne le Vatte totaled a hat trick on her Senior Day against Hofstra, helping the Dukes along to an 8-1 victory.

Hat trick, hat tip! ?? https://t.co/YNEJbCtULp
— JMUSports (@JMUSports) September 2, 2016

FIRSTS ON FIRSTS

Sarah Floeter had her first multi-assist game of the season (2), tying her career high from Sept. 25, 2015 against Temple.
Miranda Rigg's three-goal showing marked her first goals of the season. She set career highs in goals (3), points (6) and shots (10).
Corey Mayer's goal was the first of her career; it also marked the first points of her collegiate career (2).
Freshman midfielder Florien Sondern made her first collegiate assist on Friday when Rigg tipped in a penalty corner shot from her stick.

GOAL Corey Mayer! JMU leads 2-0 over App State with 9:56 remaining in the half. pic.twitter.com/p4C0eptBo1
— JMU Field Hockey (@JMU_FieldHockey) September 2, 2016

UP NEXT
The Dukes face the Eagles on Sunday in the first road contest of the season. The two teams have gone 2-2 over the last four meetings, though JMU holds an all-time record of 23-10 against American. Having played only home games, the Eagles are 2-1 to start the year with wins over Richmond (3-1) and William & Mary (3-0) and a loss to No. 20 Old Dominion (2-1).