NEW ORLEANS (JMU Athletics) – Following an emphatic 7-2 victory to open conference play over Southern Miss, two James Madison women’s soccer members grabbed Sun Belt Player of the Week honors, the conference announced Tuesday afternoon.
Freshman forward Ginny Lackey was named Offensive Player of the Week, and junior defender Jamie Swartz earned Defensive Player of the Week. It is the second straight week at least one Duke has grabbed a weekly conference award, and the fourth time this season overall.
In just her third career match, Lackey posted her second brace in as many games. She got the Dukes on the board in the 21st minute to cut the Golden Eagle lead in half at 2-1, tapping a cross into the net from senior forward Amanda Attanasi. In the second half, she took another cross from Swartz and turned and fired a shot into the net for her second score in the 59th minute as JMU continued its offensive showcase at 5-2.
Swartz grabbed her first career assists in the match on back-to-back goals in the 59th and 60th minutes, while anchoring a backline that allowed just one shot in the second half from Southern Miss. After assisting Lackey’s second goal, she slid into another cross, finding Attanasi who ripped a shot past the goalie to make it 6-2 Dukes.
JMU returns to action on Sep. 26 when it travels to Conway, South Carolina for a road contest with Coastal Carolina. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.
— JMU Athletics —
