JMU beats GMU in quarterfinals

Carolyn Walser / senior photographer Sarah Cebulski drives towards the goal during JMU's 1-0 victory over GMU in Tuesday's CAA tournament game.

Junior goalkeeper Jessica Hussey set a school record with her 17th career shutout and the Dukes hung on for a 1-0 Colonial Athletic Association tournament win over the George Mason University Patriots Tuesday night, at the JMU Soccer Complex.

Freshman midfielder Melanie Schaffer scored the game’s only goal off a penalty shot 34:38 into the game after being tripped by GMU defender Alison Feldman in the penalty box. Shaffer’s ensuing free kick went top-shelf into the left-hand side of the goal to give the Dukes the decisive score.

"You don’t think about anything else but where you’re placing the shot," Shaffer said. "I knew once I stepped up to the line that I was going to put it in."

JMU took that 1-0 lead into halftime, having out-shot the Patriots five to four in the opening period. Both teams came out in the second half with added intensity.

"One of our goals in the second half was not only to match their aggressiveness, but to try and take over the game," redshirt senior defender Bryant Karpinski said.

GMU’s aggressiveness soon gave way to frustration. The Patriots took six corner kicks in the game and 13 total shots but could not find the back of the net. GMU also amounted 15 team fouls and drew two yellow cards in the contest.

"We knew if we were possessing the ball it didn’t matter how aggressive they were," Karpsinski said. "We could stay composed and make them chase us."

Hussey said, "We knew that they were going to come out real strong and they were going to be physical. We did not want to lose this game."

With the win, JMU improves to 11-6-3 overall.

The Dukes have won five straight games, outscoring their opponents 11-2 over that stretch. Coach Dave Lombardo attributes the recent success to a total team effort.

"You really focus on doing the little things well," Lombardo said. "Our center backs have been solid as rocks and there’s a reason why Jess set a school record for shutouts; she’s probably one of the best goalkeepers I’ve ever coached."

As for the current winning streak, Hussey said peaking late in the season is nothing new for the Dukes, who rode hot streaks into the conference tournament in 2002 and 2003.

"We knew what we had to do," Hussey said. "We’ve been in this exact situation the past two years. We had a quiet confidence about us going into the tournament."

The Dukes move on to face the top-ranked Virginia Commonwealth University Rams in the CAA semifinals. In their only previous meeting this season, the Dukes beat the Rams 2-1.

"The postseason is a totally different circumstance," Lombardo said. "It’s about people finding their stride. It’s going to be conflicting styles, they’re probably a better soccer team than we are, but we’re better athletes."

JMU and VCU square off Friday at 5:30 p.m. in Richmond.