Championship Central
 
MOBILE, Ala. – Top-seeded James Madison’s eighth minute goal by 2024 Sun Belt Women’s Soccer Player of the Year Ginny Lackey proved to be the difference in the Dukes’ 1-0 victory over fourth-seeded Old Dominion in the semifinals of the Sun Belt Women’s Soccer Championship on Thursday evening.
 
The match – originally scheduled for 1 p.m. – was relocated to the South Alabama Sports Complex due to hazardous field conditions at the Foley Sports Tourism Complex and kicked off at 7 p.m.
 
James Madison (11-3-5) will compete in its third consecutive Sun Belt championship match and will face third-seeded Texas State (12-4-5) on Saturday, November 7 in Foley. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
 
(1) James Madison 1, (4) Old Dominion 0 (Box Score)
 
Old Dominion nearly took the lead in the sixth minute when Gry Boe Thrysoe struck a rolling, bouncing ball from just outside the top left of the goal box and struck the right goal post.
 
Less than two minutes later, James Madison went in transition, as Sophia Verrecchia made her way through the Monarchs’ midfield before touching a pass down the middle that found a cutting Ginny Lackey. Lackey made a move around a defender to her left to get to the top-center of the goal box where she hammered a shot across her body with her left and into the right corner to put the Dukes ahead, 1-0.
 
The second half featured a number of scoring chances for both sides, but Old Dominion goalkeeper Emily Bredek made three of her six saves in the period, while James Madison netminder Sofia DeCerb made five of her six stops inside the final 45 minutes.
 
The Monarchs owned a 7-6 edge in corner kicks while the Dukes owned a 12-10 edge in total shots on the night.