No. 11 Virginia Rallies but Falls Short at No. 12 James Madison, 16-14

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HARRISONBURG, Va. – The No. 11 Virginia women’s lacrosse team scored the final four goals of the game, but it wouldn’t be enough as No. 12 James Madison earned the 16-14 victory. The loss is the first for the Cavaliers against an in-state opponent this year, while it drops Virginia to 9-7 on the season. James Madison improves to 13-3.

Freshman Katie Slater – making her first collegiate start – scored a team-high four goals for Virginia, while junior Josie Owen tacked on three. Classmates Charlie Finnigan and Julie Gardner each had two, while redshirt junior Ainsley Baker and freshmen Christie Donovan and Maddy Keeshan each tacked on one score. Senior Molly McClintic and freshman Dana Boyle rounded out the scoring with one assist each.

For James Madison, Casey Ancarrow led the Dukes with four goals, while Mary Kate Lomady and Monica Zabel each contributed three. Ashley Kimener and Rebecca McLouth both had two scores and Ariel Lane and Caitlin McHugh had one goal each.

The Dukes earned a 3-0 advantage by the 27:48 mark, before Owen notched back-to-back scores for the Cavaliers to bring the score to 3-2 less than eight minutes into play. Two more scores from James Madison pushed the Dukes ahead, 5-2, before goals from Keeshan, Owen and Gardner knotted the score at five all.

James Madison responded with a five-goal run that it sandwiched around halftime. The Dukes took an 8-5 lead into the break and scored the first two goals out of the intermission for a 10-5 advantage with 28:29 to play.

Finnigan and Slater snapped JMU’s streak, but another score from the Dukes gave James Madison an 11-7 lead with 15:49 to play. Baker attempted to spark a streak for the Cavaliers by firing a shot into the net at the 14:33 mark. Slater added to the score with her second of the day at 13:50, cutting Virginia’s deficit to two, 11-9.

The Dukes again had an answer, firing off five of the next six goals to earn a 16-10 advantage, which ultimately proved to be too much for the Cavaliers to overcome.

Virginia’s defense held James Madison scoreless for the final 5:30 of the game, while Slater, Finnigan, Gardner and Donovan all recorded consecutive goals for the Cavaliers. Donovan’s goal at 2:37 would end up being the final goal of the game, as Virginia fell, 16-14.

Defensively, junior Annie Taylor scooped up four ground balls, while senior All-American Liz Downs, Gardner and Owen each had three. Junior Bailey Fogarty, Owen and Slater all won two draw controls, while sophomore goalkeeper Kim Kolarik caused three turnovers.

Throughout the game, James Madison dominated the draw controls, 21-11, but Virginia made up for it in ground balls, 25-15.

Virginia will return to action on Saturday, hosting No. 5 Northwestern in the regular season finale. Opening draw is slated for noon at Klöckner Stadium.

Prior to the start of the game, Virginia’s senior class will be honored.