Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Longwood University field hockey team scored a last minute goal to force overtime before falling to James Madison University (4-2), 3-2, on Friday evening in Harrisonburg. The Lancers (1-7) were led by sophomore Jessica Diaz|Chesapeake (Western Branch) and freshman Jennifer Burris|Virginia Beach (Kempsville), who each tallied one goal for two points. The Lancers return to action on Tuesday, September 18th when they host Liberty in their first Northern Pacific Field Hockey Conference match of the season at the Athletics Complex in Farmville at 7 p.m.

Longwood took a 9-5 shot advantage in the first half, but was unable to find the back of the cage in the first 35 minutes of play. Almost nine minutes into the game, the Lancers came close to breaking the game open when Diaz put a strong shot on goal, but Loes Stijntjes made a defensive save to extinguish the opportunity.

Just over 12 minutes into the first half, the Dukes took a 1-0 advantage on a penalty corner, when Rachel Wein collected the rebound after the initial shot and pushed the ball past freshman keeper Meg Mitchell|Allentown, Pa. (Emmaus) for the score. The teams battled through over 22 minutes of scoreless action, with JMU taking its one-goal buffer into halftime.

The Lancers' offense went on the attack quickly coming out of the break, as junior Stacey de Grandhomme|Cape Town, South Africa (Table View) took control of the ball and went on a fast break before dishing it across the front of the cage to Diaz for the shot and goal to knot the game at 1-1.

With just over 23 minutes to play, Taylor West converted on a penalty stroke opportunity to give the Dukes a 2-1 lead.

Longwood would not go quietly, as Burris scooped up the ball, dribbled into the left side of the circle and fired a hard shot that skidded past the JMU keeper, tying the game with just 11 seconds left to play in regulation to force a 15-minute, sudden-victory overtime period.

Just over a minute into the extra period, the Dukes were awarded a penalty corner, allowing Stijntjes to set up Dana Allaband for the shot and goal for the 3-2 JMU victory.

Both teams tallied 16 shots in the outing, including nine on goal apiece. Diaz and de Grandhomme led Longwood with three shots each, while Taylor West had a game-high four shots for JMU. Mitchell made six saves on 16 shots faced in the outing.

Friday's contest marked the 12th meeting between Longwood and James Madison in the sport of field hockey. JMU now holds a 12-0 advantage in the all-time series.