April 26, 2003
NORFOLK, Va. - Second seeded and eighth-ranked James Madison never trailed in its semifinal match-up, downing third-seeded George Mason 10-8 in a semifinal contest of the 2003 Colonial Athletic Association championships held Saturday afternoon at Foreman Field on the campus of Old Dominion University.
George Mason was led by the four-goal effort of First Team All-CAA attack Jill Toomey (Annapolis, MD/Broadneck). Junior midfielder Stacy Berger (Baltimore, MD/Sparrows Point) registered three goals, while sophomore attacker Kristy Manas (Harwood, MD/Southern) dished out three assists. Junior midfielder Kristen Olson (Aurora, CO/Eaglecrest) totaled a goal and sophomore attack Jeannine Ohler (Malvern, PA/Great Valley) notched an assist.
First Team All-CAA honoree Gail Decker led James Madison with four goals, including two off of free position shots. CAA Player of the Year Lisa Staedt and First Team All-CAA performer Jessica Brownridge each recorded three points on two goals and assist.
JMU quickly established a two-goal lead three and half minutes into play, but George Mason minutes later tied the game at 2-2 with 22:16 left in the half. However, James Madison scored three unanswered goals, taking a 5-2 lead. Berger stopped the Patriot scoring drought at the 8:17 mark, cutting into the Duke lead, 5-3, but Staedt pushed James Madison's advantage back up to three just two minutes later. Olson and Toomey, on her second goal of the day, scored the final two goals of the half for Mason, pulling the Patriots to within one, 6-5. Brownridge tallied JMU's final goal, giving the Dukes' a 7-5 lead at the half.
Each team scored three goals in the second half. Toomey cut the Patriot deficit to one, 7-6, less than two minutes into the second half, but Decker would score three unanswered goals giving the Dukes' a 10-6 advantage midway through the period. Toomey connected at 14:31 followed by Berger at 10:50 to trim the JMU margin to 10-8. It would be the Patriots' final goal of the afternoon as Madison managed to control possession for several stretches in the final minutes.
In net, Mason First Team All-CAA goalkeeper Meg Dentler (Crofton, MD/Arundel) made 19 saves, while the Dukes' Livvy King recorded eight stops. JMU out shot George Mason 32-20, connecting on three-of-five free positions. The Patriots made one-of-four FP shots and lost the draw control battle, 14-6.
George Mason tackles area rival American Wednesday in Washington, DC at 4 p.m.
Line Score
#3 George Mason (7-8) - 5-3=8
#2 James Madison (12-5) - 7-3=10
Goals-Assists--GM: Jill Toomey 4-0, Stacy Berger 3-0, Kristy Manas 0-3, Kristen Olson 1-0, Jeannine Ohler 0-1; JMU: Gail Decker 4-0, Lisa Staedt 2-1, Jessica Brownridge 2-1, Carrie Martell 2-0, Erin Chantler 0-1, Betsey Priest 0-1. Goalkeepers--GM: Meg Dentler 19 svs, 10 GA; JMU: Livvy King 8 sv, 8 GA.
Team Shots GB CT TO FPS Fouls DC
George Mason 16 24 9 13 1-4 13 6
James Madison 27 28 4 9 3-5 10 1
