The Matchup: Towson (0-1-2) vs. James Madison (0-0-1)
Place: Tiger Field – Towson, Md.
Game: March 14, 3 p.m.
Broadcast: TSN
Live Stats: towsontigers.com
 
TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University women's soccer team completes its brief homestand against a familiar opponent, hosting James Madison on Sunday, March 14 at 3 p.m. at Tiger Field.
 
The game will be broadcast on the Towson Sports Network.  Live stats will be available on Towsontigers.com.
 
Though Towson and JMU are Colonial Athletic Association foes, this is not a conference game.  During the 2021 spring season, CAA teams are broken into two divisions, North and South.  Towson competes in the North while JMU plays in the South. 
 
Towson fell in its home opener on Thursday to George Washington 2-1 to enter at 0-2-1 overall.  James Madison will play in its first game since Feb. 21, a 1-1 draw against Liberty, to stand at 0-0-1 overall.
 
Towson is looking for its first-ever win against James Madison as the Dukes lead the all-time series 18-0.  Last time out in Harrisonburg, JMU won 6-0 on Oct. 17, 2019.
 
Following this game, Towson will begin CAA play.  Next up, Towson takes on Drexel in Philadelphia on March 21.
 
MILLER NAMED 2019 ALL-CAA
In 2019, Jacey Miller earned All-CAA Third Team at defender, one of just four freshmen in the league to earn all-conference honors.  The Auburn, Pa. native also was selected to the CAA All-Rookie Team.  Miller started all 18 games in 2019 at defender, playing over 1600 minutes.  She added a goal and assist on the offensive end.
 
LAST TIME: TOWSON LATE RALLY COMES UP SHORT
    Down 2-0 at the break, Towson had a strong push in the second half and saw Khori Banks score her first collegiate goal, but Towson fell to George Washington 2-1.
Top Towson offensive player:
--Khori Banks: 1 goal (76'), 1 shot
Towson goalkeeper:
--Riley Melendez (L): 2 GA, 3 saves
 
FEAR THE FRESHMEN
Towson's freshmen have been stellar to start the 2021 spring campaign.  Goalie Riley Melendez sports a 0.87 goals allowed average.  Nia Christopher is the team's leader in shots with eight, putting six on goal, while freshmen Khori Banks and Alexandra Rush have the team's two goals.
 
TIGER FIELD UPGRADED
Tiger FIeld, the home of Towson women's soccer, got some major upgrades during phase two of the Lower Fields Complex construction.  The field now has a new grandstand, press box and lighting system, plus has new concessions and restrooms.
 
BLANK HAS NO BLANK SLATE
Towson returns its leading scorer from the 2019 season, Jenna Blank, who earned five goals and two assists last season.  She has seven career goals in 33 games, including 26 starts at forward.
 
The junior has three career game-winning goals with the Black & Gold.  One more ties her for 12th all-time in Towson history.
 
Välkommen till Towson universitet
Towson sports two players from Sweden: sophomore Demi Pierre, from Gävle, played four games, including both goals in a victory over Mount St. Mary's, before missing most of the year due to injury, and Maja Hansson, from Sandviken, a freshman who played for the U18 Swedish National Team.
 
In addition, Nia Christopher is also from outside the U.S., being a member of the Senior National Team of Bermuda.
 
REPPING THE HOME STATE...
Towson keeps close roots to home with six players from the state of Maryland.  This includes two players from the home city of Baltimore: junior Riley Rumbley from Mercy H.S. and sophomore Phoebe Canoles from Perry Hall H.S., plus a third from Baltimore County, Danielle Maggio from Hereford H.S.  The other three from Maryland are Camryn Anderson from Columbia, Madison Carr from Perryville and Caroline Macdonald from Bethesda.
 
TIGERS EARN CAA WEEKLY HONORS
With the 1-1 draw at Saint Joseph's, two Towson players notched CAA weekly awards: Riley Melendez was the Defensive Player of the Week with five saves and one goal allowed while Alexandra Rush was the Rookie of the Week for her goal scored in the 32nd minute.
 
25TH ANNIVERSARY OF 1996 AMERICA EAST TITLE TEAM
2021 marks the 25th year since the Towson women's soccer team won its first league title as a program, winning the America East that season.  The Tigers needed back-to-back four-overtime games to win the tournament, capped by a 142nd minute goal by Christi Landi to defeat Delaware 2-1 and take the league title.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT:
James Madison was the runner-up in the 2019 CAA title game.  The Dukes are led by Ebony Wiseman, a First Team All-CAA player in 2019 with seven goals and three assists that season.  In goal is sophomore Melissa Hoffheins in her first year starting, allowing a goal and having seven saves in the draw against Liberty.