Harrisonburg, Va. - The Stony Brook women's soccer team came up empty in the final game of the James Madison Tournament on Sunday, falling to the host Dukes by a score of 1-0. Sophomore Ashley Castanio (Oceanside, N.Y.) made her first collegiate start in goal and made four stops.

"Ashley played very well in her first collegiate start," Stony Brook associate head coach Steve Welham said. "She made a great one-on-one save in the second half and she won a few balls in the air."

Castanio was put to the test in the opening minute of the match when she turned away a header from Yolie Anderson-Golhor off a corner kick. James Madison (2-1-1) did break through on its next shot, however, when Anderson-Golhor flicked a header to Lauren Wilson, who powered a shot into the right corner of the net from the left channel outside the box.

Freshman Eliza Mendoza (Fontana, Calif.) entered the match in the 37th minute and gave the Seawolves an immediate spark as she fired a shot on target at the 37:47 mark, but JMU keeper Kate Courter (two saves) kept it out.

Stony Brook pressed early in the second half as sophomore Larissa Nysch (Dresher, Pa.) shot wide of the net and senior Rachel Silverman (Rye Brook, N.Y.) tested Courter with a chip attempt that was stopped on the goalline on the hour mark.

The hosts then threatened to peg the Seawolves back when they were issued a penalty kick in the 74th minute, but Castanio held the fort as Katie Menzie's shot clanged off the post and stayed out. Stony Brook could have well been issued a penalty of its own when freshman Ashley Russo (Bridgeport, Conn.) was taken down in the box, but the referee did not see a foul and let play continue.

In the end, the Seawolves could not break through against the JMU defense, which had shut out Big East foe Pittsburgh, 6-0, on Friday night. The Dukes, who advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year, outshot Stony Brook by a 16-6 margin and attempted all four corner kicks.

"I was pleased that we hung with one of the nation's top teams," Welham said. "This was not a one-sided affair at all, we nearly tied the game on several occasions."

Following the game, junior Sa'sha Kershaw (Baltimore, Md.) and sophomore Julianne Palm (Stilwell, Kansas) were named to the JMU/Fairfield Inn by Marriott Invitational All-Tournament team.

Stony Brook (1-2-0) will return to action on Thursday when it opens a three-game homestand against Rhode Island at 7 p.m.

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