STONY BROOK, N.Y. — Led by a dominant effort by senior midfielder Haley Warden, James Madison downed North Carolina 15-12 to advance to the NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse Championship final for the first time in school history.

Warden dominated on the offensive side of the field for the Dukes (21-1) and also neutralized North Carolina's Tewaaraton Award finalist Marie McCool in the draw circle.

Warden scored five goals on just six shots, including four first half goals to stake JMU to an 8-4 advantage at the break. Warden and McCool each collected 10 draws individually and the Dukes ended with a narrow 15-14 advantage in the category.

JMU was playing in the final four for the first time in school history, but a veteran-laden roster showed no signs of jitters on the big stage. The Dukes scored the first three goals of the game and never trailed in the contest.

Back-to-back goals by Jamie Ortega and Olivia Ferrucci pulled North Carolina to within 5-4 late in the first half, but JMU senior Katie Kerrigan fed classmates Morgan Hardt and Warden on consecutive goals with under five minutes to play and then Warden gave the Dukes a four-goal cushion on her tally with 51 seconds left in the half.

Ortega, a Long Island native playing in front of a vocal UNC crowd at Stony Brook's Kenneth P. LaVelle Stadium, scored two of the first three goals of the second half, to trim the deficit to 9-6, but then JMU Tewaaraton finalist Kristen Gaudian got untracked.

Gaudian, a senior attacker who came into the game with 74 goals, was held scoreless in the first half, but after Ortega's goals, she buried a pair of free position goals just 42 seconds apart and then her third goal of the half with 17:42 remaining gave the Dukes their largest lead of the day at 13-7.

Hanna Haven and Hardt added insurance goals in the final six minutes to help thwart UNC's comeback attempt.

North Carolina's 12 goals was tied for its third lowest scoring output of the season. JMU goalie Molly Dougherty made nine saves, including six in the first half.

Warden, Gaudian and Haven all had at least three goals for the Dukes, who had a 15-4 advantage on ground balls. Kerrigan led JMU with three assists.

Ortega led North Carolina (17-4) with four goals, and Kara Klages scored three second half goals for the Tar Heels. McCool finished the game with two goals and four assists to go along with her 10 draw controls.

James Madison will meet the winner of tonight's Boston College - Maryland game in the championship game on Sunday. BC and Maryland are slated to begin around 8 p.m. tonight.

We'll have more on this game tonight on USLaxMagazine.com