Loyola Hands JMU First Loss

from press release

HARRISONBURG, Va. - Meg Decker led the Greyhounds with four points as #17 Loyola defeated James Madison, 12-8, Saturday afternoon at the JMU Lacrosse Complex, ending the Dukes' perfect record. Decker scored three goals and added an assist, while Grace Gavin scored three second-half goals to record a hat trick.

Caroline Hager also had three points for Loyola on a goal and two assists, while Cara Filippelli also had a multi-point game with a goal and an assist.

Kerry Stoothoff made nine saves in the victory, out-dueling JMU goalkeeper Morgan Kelly, who came into the game leading the nation in goals-against average and anchored the nation's top defense.

JMU got on the board first at 28:13, but scores by Decker and Abby Rehfuss 31 seconds apart gave Loyola a 2-1 lead at 20:11.

The Dukes would then score three unanswered goals, taking a 4-2 lead at 8:46, which caused head coach Jen Adams to call a time out.

Loyola responded quickly after the time out, scoring four straight goals, including Helen McCutcheon's first goal as a Greyhounds.

Ariel Lane added a goal just before halftime for JMU as Loyola took a 6-5 lead into the half.

Gavin scored her first goal of the game 40 seconds into the second stanza, before JMU answered back with one of her own. Gavin scored the game's next two goals to notch the hat trick as Loyola took a 9-6 lead.

After JMU cut the lead to one at 9-8, Loyola scored the next three goals, including an empty-netter by Mary Heneberry with ten seconds left.

Emily Gibson, Christian Carr and Stoothoff led the team with three ground balls apiece, while Gibson also paced the Greyhounds with three caused turnovers. Rehfuss had a team-high three draw controls.

Loyola held a 31-20 shot advantage, 13-9 on draws and was a perfect 12-12 on clearing attempts.