CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Feb. 18, 2007 -- Sophomore Jillian Byers (Northport, N.Y./Northport) scored with 16 seconds left in sudden-victory overtime to give fifth-ranked Notre Dame a 10-9 win over number 12 James Madison in women's lacrosse Sunday afternoon at the University of Virginia's Turf Field.

Senior Lena Zentgraf (Charlottesville, Va./Charlottesville) passed the ball to Byers for the goal in the first sudden-victory overtime period.

The Fighting Irish trailed for most of the game, and it took an unassisted goal by junior Caitlin McKinney (Lafayette Hill, Pa./Germantown Academy) with 19 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game at 7-7 and force overtime.

JMU senior Kelly Berger (Columbia, Md./Hammond) scored twice in the opening half of the six-minute overtime to put the Dukes up 9-7.

However, Byers scored early in the second half of overtime, and McKinney scored another last-gasp goal to keep Notre Dame in the game. McKinney's score with just nine seconds left tied the game at 9-9.

Byers finished with six goals for the Fighting Irish, while McKinney and senior Meghan Murphy (Centennial, Colo./Cherry Creek) each scored two goals.

JMU was led by Berger with five goals. Junior Natasha Fuchs (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) added two goals.

Notre Dame held a 35-25 advantage on shots. JMU junior goalkeeper Kelly Wetzel (Catonsville, Md./Mount De Sales) had 17 saves, while Notre Dame sophomore goalkeeper Erin Goodman (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Lakeland Panas) finished with four saves.

The season-opening game for both teams was moved from JMU's home field in Harrisonburg to Charlottesville after a winter storm made the Dukes' facility unplayable.

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(Charlottesville, Va.) ... The Notre Dame women's lacrosse team opened the 2007 season with a dramatic 10-9 come-from-behind sudden-death overtime win over James Madison on Sunday afternoon at the University of Virginia's University Hall Turf Field.

The game was moved to the University of Virginia due to snow and ice that made James Madison's lacrosse field unplayable.

The win gives Notre Dame a 9-2 record in season openers and makes the fifth-ranked Irish 1-0 on the year. The Dukes of James Madison, ranked 12th in the nation, fall to 0-1.

Notre Dame was paced by sophomore Jillian Byers (Northport, N.Y.) who equaled a career high with six goals in the game, including the game winner with 15 seconds left in the third overtime period. Senior Meghan Murphy (Centennial, Colo.) and Caitlin McKinney (Jr., Lafayette Hill, Pa.) each scored two goals in the game. Heather Ferguson (Jr., Newtown Square, Pa.) had three assists in the game while senior Lena Zentgraf (Charlottesville, Va.) added two. Sophomore goalkeeper Erin Goodman (Cortlandt Park, N.Y.) recorded her first career win in her first career start, making seven saves.

Kelly Burger (five goals) and Natasha Fuchs (two goals) led the Dukes' scoring attack.

"This was a huge win for us to get the season off on a positive way," said head coach Tracy Coyne. "We struggled early against a very good team. We handled the adversity of the snow and the cold and being behind most of the game. In the end, we did what we had to do to get the win."

The Irish got off to a slow start in this game, giving up four straight goals over the first 11:20 of the game as James Madison took a 4-0 lead.

Notre Dame finally got on the scoreboard at 13:40 of the first half when Byers got her first of the game and the season off a Ferguson set up. Murphy cut the lead to 4-2 with her first goal of the season at 11:01 and the score stayed that way until the end of the half.

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2007-02-19