Powerful Second Half Propels No. 15 JMU to a 4-1 Win over Saint Joseph's

Friday, September 8

Harrisonburg, Va.

3 p.m.

James Madison University

(5-0)

Saint Joseph's

(3-2)

Saint Joseph's

JMU

Powerful Second Half Propels No. 15 JMU to a 4-1 Win over Saint Joseph's

9/8/2017 6:20:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va. – A three-goal second-half by No. 15 James Madison field hockey propelled the Dukes to a 4-1 win over Saint Joseph's and a 5-0 start to the 2017 season.

JMU (5-0) and SJU (3-2) were tied 1-1 coming out of halftime thanks to late goals by each time. The Dukes utilized a 12-4 gap in shots in the second half to overtake the Hawks.

STRONG OPENING
The Dukes are 5-0 to start the 2017 season. This is the first such start for JMU since 2002 (5-0) and the third time overall. Heading into Friday's action, the Dukes were one of just 13 Division I teams that remained undefeated.

STILL OF THE DAY
Sometimes, you have to do the wave to stay loose during introductions.
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The full photo gallery is available here.

ON THE BOARD

Junior Miranda Rigg had her first assist of the season, and first since 2015, when she had a long pass to a waiting Ashley Gippe tipped in for the first score of the day.
Senior Melanie Kusakavitch broke the tie in the 44th minute of action, picking off a rebound off the crossbar and swatting it into the cage. The goal was her first of the season.
Junior Corey Mayer earned her first assist of the season when she moved the ball out of a scrum near the cage to Rigg with 47:54 elapsed.
Senior Hannah Hall capped the Dukes' scoring with her first tally of the year, sending a corner-save rebound back in past a prone goalie.

GOAL DUKES!!!! Senior Melanie Kusakavitch pushes the ball in off the post after a wild deflection for her first of the season! 2-1 JMU! pic.twitter.com/ueMgdd1yGc
— JMU Field Hockey (@JMUFieldHockey) September 8, 2017

SHARING IS CARING
Seven Dukes have scored through five games this season while six Dukes have tallied assists this year. JMU has had an assist on 10 of its 15 goals thus far.

UP NEXT
No. 15 JMU hosts No. 1 Duke on Sunday, Sept. 10 to cap a five-game home-stand. The 2017 season is presented by Blue Ridge Insurance.