HARRISONBURG, Va., Oct. 7, 2011 -- Sophomore Lauren Wilson's (Coatesville, Pa./Downingtown) early goal lifted James Madison to a 1-0 win over Georgia State in Colonial Athletic Association women’s soccer Friday evening at the JMU Soccer Complex.

JMU upped its overall record to 6-5-2 and is now 3-2-0 in the CAA.  Georgia State dropped to 5-9-0 overall and 2-3-0 in league play.

Wilson scored the game-winner in the 18th minute.  She received a pass in the center of the field and weaved through the Georgia State defenders to the right side of the goal, where she sent a sharply-angled shot across the goal to the left corner of the net.

Dukes' redshirt freshman goalkeeper Kate Courter (Lincoln Park, N.J./Immaculate Heart) made two saves to record her sixth shutout of the season.

"It was just a battle from the opening whistle," JMU Head Coach David Lombardo said.  "Both teams got after it pretty hard and played very solid defenses on both sides of it.  It was going to be one of those kinds of games that one goal was probably going to decide it, and that’s what it ended up being.

"Lauren Wilson just scored a great game-winning goal. We would have liked two or three more. We had some chances but if that’s enough for the win, we’ll take it."

Lombardo had praise for this team's defensive effort.  "Elisa Davidson and Shannon Rano played awesome as our center backs.  Amalya Clayton had her debut tonight as a left back and man-marked (2010 CAA Rookie of the Year) Jewel Evans out of the game.  It was a real breakout game for Katie Menzie; it was probably her best game from start to finish in the midfield.  And we had six kids playing in the four positions in midfield and all of them really contributed strongly."