East Carolina University
James Madison
East Carolina Falls at James Madison, 1-0
September 04, 2015 | Soccer
HARRISONBURG, Va. - The East Carolina women's soccer team allowed an early second-half goal and dropped a 1-0 decision in non-conference action at James Madison on Friday evening.
Following a 90-minute weather delay from the match's initial 7:30 p.m., scheduled start time, the Pirates and Dukes got underway and physicality was the name of the game in the early going, as the combined foul count reached five through the first seven minutes of action.
James Madison put the first shot on goal of the evening in the 17th minute when leading scorer Allie Bunner got an open look at the ECU net, but redshirt senior goalkeeper Saundra Baron was there to make the save.
The majority of the first half was quiet from an offensive perspective at both ends of the field, but junior forward Lana Spitler got off two shots inside the final five minutes of the period, sandwiching an offside call against the Pirates, who tried to put together a score before the halftime whistle.
The Dukes owned a 5-3 edge in total shots in the opening period, while both clubs had one corner kick apiece.
James Madison was aggressive to begin the second half, getting off four shots (two on goal) in the first five minutes. The fourth attempt found the back of the net in the 51st minute when Ashley Herndon collected a short corner kick, dribbled past a couple East Carolina defenders and buried a shot high into the back of the net to give the Dukes a 1-0 lead.
ECU mustered just three shots in the second half to JMU's 10, as the Dukes possessed the ball and kept it in Pirate territory for a large portion of the second half.
James Madison outshot East Carolina, 15-6, overall despite putting just three shots on goal, while holding a 3-2 edge in corner kicks on the night.
Spitler finished with three shots and Baron made two saves for ECU. Herndon led the Dukes with four total shots, while three others took two apiece.
The Pirates will close out their four-game road trip when it heads to UNC Greensboro on Sunday, Sept. 6. Opening kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
