UNC Tar Heels torch Dukes to stay perfect
No. 5 UNC deals 18th-ranked JMU first loss of season
By Whitney Proffitt, staff writer
Posted on September 5, 2006

The JMU field hockey team suffered its first loss of the season Saturday afternoon, dropping a 4-1 contest to the University of North Carolina at JMU Field Hockey Complex.

“We all know we played really well,” JMU sophomore forward Ashley Walls said. “This just pushes us to do better next time.”

The Tar Heels entered the match as the fifth-ranked team in the nation. Both the Dukes and UNC were coming off a 2-0 opening weekend.

“Our performance today was terrific,” JMU coach Antoinette Lucas said. “It was a matter of execution — everything else was dead, even with North Carolina.”

Things began to go downhill for the Dukes in the latter portion of the first half. With 14:56 left, UNC’s Brook Miller scored on a penalty corner. Shortly after, Karen Mann scored off a rebound into the right corner, giving UNC a 2-0 lead over JMU at the half.

“In a lot of ways, we dominated the whole first half and most of the second half,” Walls said. “It’s frustrating not to come out on top.”

To start the second half, UNC took a 3-0 advantage after Miller assisted Mann to take a shot off of a penalty corner. Freshman Danielle Forword continued the Tar Heels run by scoring UNC’s final goal of the day with 5:40 remaining.

Then, the Dukes finally got their turn.

With 5:01 left, Walls took a shot from the left, assisted by sophomore midfielder Melissa Stefaniak, giving JMU their only score of the game.

“I’d like to think that with four corners in one game, we would have scored more,” Lucas said.

The Tar Heels dominated the Dukes beyond just the scoreboard. UNC had a total of 11 shots on goal and four saves compared to JMU’s nine and two.

“We came out and gave it 110 percent,” JMU freshman forward Meghan Bain said. “We had complete control, but we didn’t finish — that’s something we’ll work on for the next game.”

JMU hosted Ohio University on Sunday and won 3-0, improving their record to 3-1.
Madison got a goal and an assist from Maureen Klingler and two assists from sophomore Melissa Walls.

The Dukes scored the game winner just 10 minutes into the game when Walls fed a pass to Klingler who drove the ball past Ohio goalie  Jessie Martin.

JMU also got goals from senior Baillie Versfeld and Ashley Walls. The goal by Walls tied her for the team lead with three.

Junior Merel Broekhuizen and freshman Kelsey Cutchins combined for the shutout in goal. Broekhuizen made no saves in the first half and Cutchins had two.

The Dukes will look to take that momentum into their next two home games, taking on Michigan State Friday at 4 p.m. and St. Joseph’s Saturday at 1 pm.

“We just take it one game at a time,” Bain said.