Field Hockey Shows Promise in Battle With Ranked RedHawks

Friday, September 25

Oxford, Ohio

1 p.m.

James Madison University

(1-6, 1-1)

No. 16 Miami (Ohio)

(5-3, 2-0)

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
James Madison	0	0	2	0	2
Miami (Ohio)	0	1	1	2	4

Game Notes

Field Hockey Shows Promise in Battle With Ranked RedHawks

9/25/2026 3:20:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

OXFORD, OHIO – A pair of early third quarter goals were insufficient for James Madison field hockey (1-6, 1-1 MAC) Friday as No. 16 Miami (5-3, 2-0 MAC) used three unanswered scores to down the Dukes 4-2 at the Miami Field Hockey Complex.

Despite trailing the RedHawks 1-0 at halftime, the Dukes came out firing on all cylinders in the third quarter, finding the back of the net twice to take a 2-1 advantage over the 16th ranked team in the country.

JMU's equalizer was scored by Sydney Raguini and assisted by Azul Covarrubias, giving each their first point(s) of the season. A few minutes later, Avery Ruckman kept the momentum on JMU's side, putting the Dukes in front 2-1.

In the final 23 minutes, Miami found three straight scores and put the game too far out of reach. By the game's end, Miami surpassed James Madison in shots 18-2, shots on goal 9-2 and penalty corners 9-0.

How It Happened

In the late stages of the first quarter, Lilly Sweeney made the first of her five saves of the day, swatting away the game's opening shot with her left pad in the 14th minute.
Miami started the scoring in the 27th minute capitalizing off a penalty corner with a goal by Bet Gifra.
JMU found an equalizer in the third when Covarrubias charged towards the long corner and struck a pass to the middle of the circle that met Raguini's stick. The second year forward made the most of the opportunity and blasted a ball off the pads of Miami's goalkeeper to tie the score at a goal apiece.
The Dukes kept the pressure on as a few moments later, Ruckman took advantage of a lackadaisical approach by Miami defenders, collecting the ball and ripping it to the high left corner of the goal for her first score of the season.
In the 44th minute, Miami found an equalizer of their own, scoring off the stick of Kylie Coughlin right before the third quarter ended.
The fourth quarter belonged to the RedHawks as Miami scored in the 47th and 52nd minute to pass JMU on the scoreboard 4-2.

Game Notes

With the loss, JMU falls to 1-3 on the road this season and 1-1 in MAC play.
JMU's 2-1 third quarter lead marked the first time the Dukes have led a ranked opponent this season with JMU falling to a top 25 team for the fourth time this season.
Covarrubias' assist was the 13th of her career and puts the senior defender at 19 career points.
Ruckman joins Brynna Hill as the two Dukes with multiple goals in 2026 so far. The third year defender now has five career goals and 10 career points.

Up Next

James Madison returns to Harrisonburg to host Kent State at the JMU Field Hockey Complex Sunday at noon.