FOLEY, Ala. (JMU Athletics) – A steady offensive attack allowed James Madison women’s soccer to take down No. 8 Southern Miss, 2-0, in the quarterfinals of the Sun Belt Women’s Soccer Championship at the Foley Sports Tourism Complex on Monday night.

The Dukes (10-5-3, 7-1-2 SBC) lead the Golden Eagles in nearly every offensive stat category, outshooting Southern Miss by a 12-to-5 margin, including an 8-to-3 count in shots on goal.

Scoring for JMU were Ellie Farrell and Makenna Kirk, scoring their respective fourth and second goals of the season. Ginny Lackey, Selma Rajakangas, and Lauren Carpenter each tallied a point on the night, with an assist each.

Sofia DeCerb played all 90 minutes at goalkeeper, making three saves and posting her fourth clean sheet of the year.

Ryan Smith led Southern Miss (7-7-4, 4-5-2 SBC) with three shots. Logan McGruder started and spent all 90 minutes in the cage, posting six saves.

How it Happened
• The Dukes’ offense made noise early, putting a pair of shots on goal in the first 15 minutes of play.
• JMU struck first in the 26th minute, with Farrell finishing off a cross from Lackey to give the Dukes a 1-0 lead.
• Southern Miss sent a shot in the 57th minute that traveled off target.
• James Madison put the match out of reach in the 76th minute, with Kirk rifling a shot into the back of the net to push the Dukes’ lead to 2-0.
• Despite placing two more shots on goal in the final ten minutes, JMU held on to advance to their first conference semifinal since 2024.

Match Notes
• Tonight’s win marks the fourth time the Dukes have won 10+ games under Head Coach Joshua Walters, Sr.
• Farrell has registered 10+ points in a season for the first time in her career.
• The Dukes are 8-0-2 in matches when they score first.
• JMU’s record against the Golden Eagles moves to 3-0-1 all-time.
• The Dukes hold a 7-1-3 record when outshooting their opponent.

Up Next
The Dukes will face No. 5 South Alabama in the Sun Belt Championship semifinals on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at the Foley Sports Tourism Complex in Foley, Ala. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CT) and will stream on ESPN+.

— JMU Athletics —