Dukes Shut Out Liberty in Draw

Saturday, September 13

Lynchburg, Va.

7 p.m.

James Madison University

0-4-1, 0-0-0

Liberty

4-0-2, 0-0-0

James Madison

Liberty

9/13/2025 9:34:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

LYNCHBURG, Va. – James Madison men's soccer stymied the Liberty attack to earn a clean sheet and finished Saturday night with a scoreless draw at Osborne Stadium.

The Dukes moved to 0-4-1 and snapped its four-match losing streak, while the Flames moved to 4-0-2.

Sophomore Manuel Lolas paced the JMU offense with a team-leading three shots. Sophomore Erik Jaspers spent the full 90 minutes in goal, his first action of 2025, and earned the shutout with three saves.

Quoting Head Coach Paul Zazenski
"Overall, proud of the defensive effort tonight in keeping the shutout. We hit a ball off the post and had a couple other chances not drop, but that is the game of soccer. The team battled which was good to see."

How It Happened

The first 44 minutes of the match was a defensive showing, as the teams combined for three shots.
JMU turned on the pressure in the final minute of the first half, getting a corner kick and three shots on goal but could not find the back of the net. Lolas took two shots, while freshman Ronald Madoi fired the third shot.
The second half began much like the first half, with neither team creating many offensive chances.
Liberty put its first shot on goal in the 82^nd minute and followed that with two shots in the 84^th minute and two more in the 86^th minute.
Sophomore Diego Ossa nearly put the Dukes in front, but his shot from the top of the 18-yard box hit the far left post in the 85^th minute.
After making saves in the 82^nd and 84^th minutes, Jaspers made his third save in a span of five minutes by stopping a shot in the 86^th minute.

Quick Facts

Erik Jaspers earned his first Division I shutout after recording six at Salt Lake CC last season.
Liberty took eight of its 10 shots in the second half.
The four-match losing streak for the Dukes was their longest since 2016.

Up Next
The Dukes open Sun Belt Conference play the next time they step on the pitch, traveling to No. 15 West Virginia on Friday, Sept. 19 for a 7 p.m. kickoff.