Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

Boxscore

HARRISONBURG, Va. -- The University of Delaware field hockey team won its seventh straight game as the Blue Hens posted a 2-1 victory at No. 14 James Madison Sunday afternoon at the JMU Field Hockey Complex.

The Blue Hens, who snapped a four-game losing streak to the Dukes, have now won seven consecutive games for the first time since Delaware opened the 2007 season with seven wins. Delaware, which is now 7-2 overall and 2-0 in the Colonial Athletic Association, has opened conference play with two victories for the first time since the 2006 season.

James Madison, which dropped to 5-4 overall and 1-1 in the league, had won 14 consecutive games over CAA opponents dating back to the 2007 season.

The Dukes opened the scoring 10:37 into the contest when Dolores de Rooij beat UD goalkeeper Noelle Diana with a backhanded shot to put JMU ahead, 1-0.

However the Blue Hens would answer just a minute and a half later, as Tori Karsten received a pass from Alexis Esbitt and buried a shot into the left corner of the cage at the 12:09 mark. The goal was Karsten’s first of the season and 16th of her career, while Esbitt recorded her first assist of the campaign.

Casey Howard (at right) scored the game-winner just 16:38 into the game by collecting a pass by Kimmy Schlezes from the right base line and finding the back of the cage. Howard now has 12 goals on the season and 41 for her career, good for seventh on the UD career goals list. The assist was the second of the season for Schlezes.

Diana and the Blue Hen defense would make the lead hold up, as the game went scoreless the rest of the way. The Dukes held a 5-0 shot advantage and a 9-0 edge in penalty corners during the second half, but could not get the equalizer.

Diana, who has played the entire game in all nine Blue Hen contests this season, made three saves to earn her seventh win of the year.

Delaware returns home on Friday, October 2 to host Old Dominion at 7 p.m. at Rullo Stadium.