Women's Lacrosse Drops 9-8 Overtime Effort at James Madison

Friday, April 8

Harrisonburg, Va.

5:00 p.m.

Drexel University

7-4 (0-1CAA)

James Madison

6-7 (2-0CAA)

Drexel

James Madison

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Women's Lacrosse Drops 9-8 Overtime Effort at James Madison

4/8/2016 7:39:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Drexel women's lacrosse team's bid for its first-ever win over James Madison fell just short in overtime on Friday, 9-8. The Dragons saw a late two-goal lead slip away as the host Dukes had to work to beat the Drexel defense, but was able to maintain possession long enough to slip past the Dragons nearly four minutes into overtime.

Devin Nihill scored three goals to lead the Dragons, who fell to 7-4 while dropping their first Colonial Athletic Association game of the season. Emily Duffey added a goal and two assists and nearly provide some heroics with a last-second shot in regulation that clanged off the post just as the clock ticked to triple zeroes. Lacey Aghazarian, Nadia Pelham-Lacey, Grace Osterdale and Maggie Stetson also added goals for the Dragons. Nihill now has 23 on the season, tops on the team.

The Dragons held an 8-6 lead on Nihill's third goal of the evening with 13:58 to play. They had led nearly the entire game, but after the teams both had empty possessions following Nihill's goal, the Dragons turned the ball over and saw James Madison promptly score to pull within one with 10:11 remaining.

It did not take long for the Dukes to even the score. A draw victory led to Haley Warden's 13^th goal of the season with 8:14 remaining on the clock. Though the Dragons won the ensuing draw, Warden forced a turnover soon thereafter and the Dukes held the ball, taking three shots over the next six minutes.

Drexel got the ball back with 1:35 to play and worked its way down the field. The Dragons finally were able to get a clear shot as Duffey fired from the left of JMU goalkeeper Kaitlin Martindale with the clock running down. It beat Martindale but rattled off the far post as time expired in regulation.

James Madison once again found itself unable to score despite holding the ball for nearly the entirety of the first 3:00 period of overtime. The second also opened with a Dukes draw control, though, and this time they were able to work the ball inside quickly and Margaret Fogarty scored her ninth of the year to give the Dukes the win.

Eva Winiarski won four draw controls to lead the Dragons, who hung even with the Dukes in that category until the game's final minutes. The Drexel defense was strong throughout, making James Madison work for everything it got. Alyssa Kalitz forced three JMU turnovers, and Madeline DIBrino added one with a pair of ground balls.

Drexel will remain in Virginia for its next contest, which will pit the Dragons against William & Mary in Williamsburg on Sunday. That game is set to get underway at 12:30 p.m.