Dukes defeat Gamecocks on Argy’s goal

Carolyn Walser/ senior photographer Red-shirt senior defender Bryant Karpinski defends against USC's Sara Jane Harris during Sunday's game at tthe JMU Soccer Complex. The Dukes won 3-2 on junior forward Kim Argy's goal in double overtime.

Sometimes, it just comes down to what you wear.

"We’re 2-0 in my new gold shirt," coach Dave Lombardo said. "I’m not changing it."

After a season-opening victory Friday night, against the University of Richmond, JMU and Lombardo’s shirt continued their winning ways Sunday at the JMU Soccer Complex with a 3-2 double-overtime win over the University of South Carolina.

"If we came out with a loss after playing the extra time, it would’ve been hard," junior midfielder Karly Skladany said. "But the OT win makes you more appreciative. It shows you didn’t give up."

The Dukes stuck with the Gamecocks till the very end.

With less than two minutes remaining in the second and final overtime, the score was knotted up at 2 apiece and JMU set up for its fourth corner kick of the afternoon.

The feed came in from Skladany and deflected off sophomore defender/midfielder Shannon Seipp to the foot of junior forward Kim Argy.

The ball found, the back of the net to give the Dukes a 3-2 win.

"When the ball was coming, I knew all I had to do was kick it in," Argy said. "I knew it would be a game winner."

The foreknowledge of her shot implications didn’t faze her.

"You don’t even think about [the pressure]," she said. "I just wanted to get the ball into the net."

Argy’s game-winner was set up by earlier goals from Skladany and sophomore forward/midfielder Natalie Ewell.

First, Skladany gave JMU a 1-0 advantage when she headed it in, off a corner kick in the 21st minute.

"It was a perfect pass," she said. "I just found myself wide-open in front of the goal and put it in."

Ewell made her contribution in the 63rd minute when the sophomore from Richmond got open just outside the box and went top shelf to break a 1-1 tie.

"Normally, I’d be a player that brings the ball down and passes it," Ewell said. "But I found myself open and thought I’d shoot."

USC’s offense kept pace with JMU’s in regulation as the Gamecocks answered both of the Dukes’ scores with goals of their own, in the 56th minute and the 84th minute.

With the win, the Dukes already have matched their longest winning streak of a season ago — two.

"We might’ve lost this game last year," Lombardo said. "But we’ve had balanced scoring in the preseason. We’ve scored 10 goals by eight different players. It’s boosted the team’s morale."

In this year’s preseason, the Dukes took a trip out of the country to get ready for their national rivals. JMU barnstormed through Canada, playing Ottawa University, club and semi-pro teams en route to accumulating a 5-0 record.

"Last year, we were in a rut," Ewell said. We didn’t have any playing experience before the season, but now we’ve got a lot of momentum and hopefully it will keep going."

JMU’s momentum and Lombardo’s lucky shirt are next in action Sept. 4 at the JMU Soccer Complex when they take on another Southeastern Conference foe in the University of Alabama. Game time is set for 1:30 p.m.

"That gives us a lot of confidence," Lombardo said. "It is a power conference. This is a good [Ratings Percentage Index] win. We play a lot of those teams and we’re not afraid."