Madison smothers Spiders, improves to 5-1

By Mark Powell, contributing writer
Posted on September 17, 2007

“Field hockey players love the rain,” said JMU Coach Antoinette Lucas, after the game Friday.

On a dismal, wet night the Dukes came out to play and shut out Richmond 7-0.

Sophomore Meghan Bain gave JMU an early lead 7:43 into the first half. Setting the tone, JMU was off to a 1-0 lead.

“We had to score first,” JMU coach Antoinette Lucas said. “Richmond has been a very strong team in the past. If you let them in the door early, you’re in for a long night.”

Although JMU’s offensive performance was stellar it was the defense that impressed Coach Lucas.

“Our focus all week has been on our defensive play — in our defensive circles, definitely making sure we don’t give up any shots or corners,” Lucas said.

JMU out-shot Richmond in the first half 13-1 and by the end of the game the tally was 27-4.

A scary moment silenced the crowd 12:54 into regulation when Richmond forward Becky White took a shot off her jaw, stopping play for a few minutes. She was taken out immediately after the play, but would return. 

Soon after, JMU struck again by the helping hand of Junior Jenny Eain when she deflected a goal off of her wrist through a crowded defense and doubled Madison’s lead.  Eakin logged her second goal of the season with only 6:59 left in the first half. 

Richmond had several opportunities to score, but capitalized on none of their drives. Throughout the first half Richmond struggled to push into JMU territory, and when they did the Dukes’ defensive line rarely gave Richmond a good shot.

Despite the final score, the Spiders did display some stellar defensive stops. Junior goalkeeper Becca Weaver left the Richmond crowd in cheers when she sprawled to her knees for a remarkable save with 11 minutes left in the first period. 

“We had scouted Richmond and we knew they played a manto-man marking kind of style,” Lucas said. “We really worked on manipulating their defense with our attack, and it paid off for us as the game went on.”

Lucas was certainly right as JMU came out for three goals in the first eight minutes of the second half. The first of these came from freshman Randi Seager, followed by a score from junior Lauren Walls and one from Melissa Walls 30 seconds later.

JMU wrapped up the game with three more goals in the second half, as Richmond failed to get on the scoreboard.

Richmond fell to five games below .500 with a 1-6 record in 2007. JMU improved to 5-1 on the season and still remains undefeated at home in Harrisonburg.