The William and Mary field hockey team fell 3-1 to James Madison on Sunday afternoon at Busch Field, despite a tremendous second-half effort.  The Tribe is now 6-10 on the year, while James Madison improves to 7-9 overall.

After what was essentially a drawn first half in which neither team was able to break through to goal, the visitors were able to score close on either side of the halftime intermission to go up 2-0 by the 38th minute.  The Tribe continued to fight for possession in the midfield, and slowly starting pushing the Dukes back into a defensive shell and began cracking at the goalmouth in the second-half, taking five shots over the final 35 minutes.

JMU tacked on another goal to its lead in the 53rd, but the College was able to answer just five minutes later on its only corner opportunity of the afternoon.  Jesse Ebner (Sinking Spring, pa.) got the try started and passed the ball into fellow freshman Emma Clifton (Loomberah, NSW), who set the shot up for junior Christine Johnson (Williamsburg, Va.).  Johnson's strike was hard and true, cracking the board and giving the junior her second goal of the season.  Clifton's assist was the sixth of her season, lifting her to second among freshmen in school history.  Her total is also second among all freshmen in the CAA this year, while Ebner's four helpers ties her for third among conference rookies.

William and Mary closes out the season on the road on Friday, taking on No. 1 Old Dominion at 5 p.m. in Norfolk.