FARMVILLE, Va. -- Sydney Braun-McLeod and Meghan Cox each scored a second-half goal to lead James Madison University of the Colonial Athletic Association to a 2-0 women's soccer victory past Longwood University on Sunday night at the Athletics Complex in Farmville.  Goalkeeper Ellen Forrest made two saves for the shutout in front of the net for the visiting Dukes (7-3), while freshman Gina D'Orazio/Moseley had two shots to lead the host Lancers (1-5-2).  Longwood will remain at home to welcome Coastal Carolina University for its first Big South Conference match of the season on Wednesday, September 25 at 7 p.m. at the Athletics Complex in Farmville.
    
“Going into the game we made a decision and commitment to really go after a very strong JMU team,” said 20th-year head coach Todd Dyer '93. “We defended well and kept them under pressure, while creating some good scoring chances for ourselves along the way.  Bottom line is that they scored goals and we didn’t.  Now conference play begins and I know we’re ready because of the schedule we’ve faced leading up to this point.”
    
Longwood and JMU battled scoreless through the opening 45 minutes, and nearly to the halfway point of the second half, before the Dukes scored their consecutive goals within a two-minute span.  Braun-McLeod tallied what proved to be the eventual game-winner at 65:26 when she dribbled into the box from the left side and shot successfully to the upper 90.  Cox made it 2-0 at 67:17 with a header attempt on a corner kick from Sam Lofton.
    
Longwood answered with back-to-back scoring opportunities at 69:57 and 70:28 by junior Samantha Phillips/Chesapeake and freshman Jayden Metzger/Midlothian, respectively, the latter also a header attempt on a corner kick, but both were stopped by Forrest.  D’Orazio had another good look in the box late for the Lancers at 87:41 on a shot that deflected off a defender and hit the crossbar.
    
JMU had an 11-6 edge in shots, including 6-2 in attempts on goal, and the Dukes led 6-4 on corner kicks.  Braun-McLeod and Cox each had two shots on goal for JMU, while Forrest also played the duration with the two saves and the shutout for the Dukes.
    
D’Orazio had two shots to lead Longwood, while Phillips and Metzger each had the one shot attempt on goal.  Graduate goalkeeper Shelby Hall/Purcellville played the duration in front of the net with four saves for the Lancers.
    
Longwood and JMU were playing for the first time ever in the sport of women’s soccer.

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