HARRISONBURG, Va., March 20, 2007 -- Number 7 James Madison outscored number 8 Dartmouth 6-1 in the final 17 minutes to pull away to a 16-9 victory in women's lacrosse Tuesday afternoon at the JMU Lacrosse Complex. It was the fifth straight win for the Dukes, who improved to 5-1. Dartmouth dropped to 3-2 after losing its second consecutive game. The Dukes never trailed but led their opponent only 6-5 at the end of the first half.

Dartmouth senior Jen Pittman (New Canaan, Conn./Convent of the Sacred Heart) scored a free position goal just 49 seconds into the second half to tie the game at 6-6. JMU responded with three straight scores, including two by junior Annie Wagner (Annapolis, Md./St. Paul's). Wagner's goal at 28:58 came after the ball bounced off the pipe from a shot by senior Lynlea Cronin (Columbia, Md./Wilde Lake), and her score at 24:41 put JMU up 9-6.

Dartmouth tallied two of the game's next three goals, and Pittman's free-position score at 16:54 cut the lead to 10-8. The Dukes then made a six-goal scoring run, including three by senior Kelly Berger (Columbia, Md./Hammond). JMU also got one goal each from junior Emily Haller (Fallston, Md./John Carroll), senior Maria Bosica (Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Hebron), and freshman Meredith Torr (Timonium, Md./Bryn Mawr). With 3:30 remaining, Torr capped the run off an assist by junior Natasha Fuchs (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) to score her first career goal and give JMU a 16-8 lead. Dartmouth's only score in the final 16 minutes came from senior Whitney Douthett (Newtown, Pa./The Peddie School) at 1:29.

Wagner and Berger led JMU with four goals each, and Berger also had two assists. Fuchs and Haller each scored twice, and Fuchs contributed one assist. Dartmouth was led by Pittman with three goals and Douthett with two goals. Each also had one assist.

JMU junior goalkeeper Kelly Wetzel (Catonsville, Md./Mount De Sales) stopped 12 shots and extended her school-record double-figure saves streak to six games. Dartmouth freshman goalkeeper Julie Wadland (Andover, Mass./Phillips Andover) played 56:30 and made 11 saves. Freshman Chelsea Kirk (Hunt Valley, Md./Roland Park Country School) played the last 3:30 but had no statistics.

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HARRISONBURG, Va. - Despite three goals by senior Jen Pittman (New Canaan, Conn.), the No. 8 Dartmouth women's lacrosse team dropped a 16-9 decision at James Madison Tuesday.

JMU jumped out to a 4-1 lead as Annie Wagner scored twice for the Dukes. With her first goal at 10:10, Pittman ignited a 4-2 Dartmouth run, and JMU held a 6-5 advantage at the half. Pittman scored the equalizer with just 49 seconds gone in the second half, but JMU responded with a three-goal spurt, including two more by Wagner, for a 9-6 lead.

Big Green sophomore Katherine Chiusano (Medford, N.J.) and Pittman sandwiched goals around one by JMU to keep the deficit at two, 10-8, but the Dukes erupted with six straight for a 16-8 score with less than four minutes to play in regulation. James Madison (5-1) won its fifth straight game as Wagner and Kelly Berger each scored four goals.

The Big Green's Whitney Douthett (Newtown, Pa.) had two goals and one assist on the afternoon, while Pittman added an assist for a total of four points. Chiusano had an assist, and Dartmouth's other goals were scored by junior Kristen Barry (Duxbury, Mass.), senior Margo Duke (Englewood, Colo.) and senior Sarah Szefi (Pittsburgh, Pa.).

In the nets, Dartmouth freshman Julie Wadland (Andover, Mass.) made 11 saves before classmate Chelsea Kirk (Hunt Valley, Md.) came on in relief for the final 3:30. Dartmouth (3-2) opens the Ivy League season this weekend, traveling to Yale on Saturday, March 24 and then to Columbia on Sunday, March 25.

2007-03-20