Graphic courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications

By Bennett Conlin (This was originally published in our newsletter)

Dukes dominate – JMU (7-1) used another strong defensive showing and quality offense to beat Temple 16-10. JMU led 13-4 before yielding a few garbage-time goals. 

Key stats – Here are a few of the most important stats from Saturday’s game:

• Shots: JMU 35, Temple 25
• Shots on goal: JMU 26, Temple 20
• Turnovers: Temple 22, JMU 24
• Draw controls: JMU 18, Temple 10

The Dukes actually struggled a bit with turnovers, but still found a way to get the win thanks to 35 shots and a +8 draw-control margin. Draw controls are one of the most important measures for any team, and JMU flourishes when it wins more draws than its opponent.

Up next – Bigger challenges loom. JMU faces Virginia (7-3) and Maryland (8-0) this week. UVA visits Harrisonburg on Wednesday and Maryland comes to town Sunday. The weekend game is also a celebration of the program, and many JMU lacrosse alumni are expected to be present. Both games should have good atmospheres. 

The Dukes are on a seven-game winning streak, and many of those wins have come against good opponents. Virginia and Maryland are great opponents. JMU lost 18-7 to North Carolina the last time it played a great opponent. These two games will show us if the Dukes are a strong team that will make some noise in the NCAA Tournament, or if the Dukes are national title contenders.