For the first time since 2004, the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse National Champion doesn’t come from College Park Maryland, Evanston Illinois or Chapel Hill North Carolina, it hails from Harrisonburg Virginia. The JMU Lacrosse Duke’s did what many said could not be done. They did it over and over, beating 3 teams twice in the same season. JMU started the season off with a double overtime win over North Carolina, and then beat them in the National Semi-Finals. They beat UVA in the regular season and in the NCAA Tournament’s second round. A second round that was held on the Dukes’ home field. JMU also beat conference foe Towson, to win the regular season title, and to win the conference tournament championship.
JMU took down Florida to get to the Semi’s, to face UNC a second time, and The Dukes then held off Boston College in the Championship game 16-15.
This year’s team, 22-1, won the blowouts, and won all but one of the rest, with their only loss coming to Maryland on March 24th, losing 15-12. Since that loss, JMU won 14 games in a row enroute to the programs first National Title.
Senior Haley Warden shines bright when the stage is at its biggest. She won the CAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player the last 2 years, becoming the first player in conference history to do this. Sunday, Warden was named the most outstanding player for the championship weekend, scoring 9 goals, 4 of those coming against Boston College in the title game. She says the she knew the team needed her to give more, and she delivered. Kristen Gaudian recorded 6 goals, 3 each in the games versus UNC and B.C., and was named to the All Tournament team along with Hanna Haven and Molly Doughtery.
Many of the players still say winning the championship seems surreal and that they haven’t stopped smiling. For the eight players who make up the senior class, they leave JMU with a record of 61-23, and the third class to win 3 conference titles and make 4 NCAA tournaments. They’ve set the bar high for the classes to follow, and will be cheering to see JMU’s program continue to be a national contender.
