JMU hopes for better start to 2007
Posted on August 27, 2007
The JMU women’s soccer team made it to the CAA Championship last year by winning six out of their last seven regular season games. This year, they’ll look to establish themselves early in the season to win an NCAA bid.
In 2006, the Dukes lost their first five games in an injury-riddled stretch that almost kept them out of the CAA tournament. They played their first four games against West Virginia and Rutgers, who finished ranked 10 and 15, respectively in Division I national rankings.
The season-opening Comfort Inn Invitational took place at JMU in the last week of August in 2006 and was followed by seven road games out of nine total in September. Making this problem worse were injuries that plagued the team, especially on defense.
“We started out the first third of the season with five starters out of the mix, three out of four starting defenders,” Coach David Lombardo said. “I gave the girls a lot of credit, because they never used their injuries as an excuse.”
Madison lost 4-2 in their scrimmage at West Virginia Aug. 25. The Dukes start regular season play Aug. 31 at Loyola and then play four straight home games before traveling to challenge Penn State Sept. 14. Out of their first nine games, eight are at home.
JMU plays 11 home games this year, including Oct. 14 at home against ODU, where they will aim for redemption from last year’s overtime loss that kept them out of the NCAAs.
“We have it marked down,” junior defender Teri Maykoski said. “We’re definitely looking forward to playing them. It was a pretty bitter taste in our mouth watching them get the trophy.”
“It’s exciting, because I feel like this is the team that can make it to the championship and win,” senior forward Annie Lowry said. “If we stay healthy, I think this could be the best team I’ll play with.”
Lowry is a two-time All-CAA selection, and is among three returning players that achieved that distinction in 2006. Junior midfielder Kimmy Germain and junior defender Teri Maykoski were also all-conference.
The Dukes return seven starters from last year’s roster, but they lose the team’s most valuable offensive player in 2006, forward Sarah Cebulski. She ended her career 12th on the JMU’s career goals list with 18, scoring eight last year.
Last year’s experience has returning players feeling confident they can handle the challenges a new season brings, but JMU also has plenty of youth. Freshmen and sophomores represent 18 of 28 players on the team.
“I think that it’s a breakout year for our team, Lowry said. “We have a lot of individual talent, but I think that coming together as a team is going to be more impressive.”