Aug. 23, 2004
NORFOLK, Va. -- The nation's winningest collegiate field hockey coach is back. Beth Anders, the two decade veteran who has led the Lady Monarchs to a record setting nine national championships, returns to the familiar sidelines of Foreman Field as the Lady Monarchs prepare to return to the tops of the collegiate field hockey scene.
Anders took a leave of absence from Old Dominion last season to help guide the U.S. National Team on its quest to return to the Olympic Games and among the way helped the United States bring home a silver medal from the Pan American Games. This season she begins her 22nd season at the helm of the Lady Monarch program on its quest to continue its dominating presence as one of the strongest and storied programs in history.
Anders will guide a young Lady Monarch squad which features just two seniors in Lynn Farquhar (Alexandria, Va.) and Beth Maddox (Va. Beach, Va.). Maddox will be asked to take over the void left by departing Lady Monarch, two-time All-American and CAA Defender of the Year, Melissa Leonetti. Maddox's leadership and experience should be the driving force behind the stingy Lady Monarch defense in 2004. The Hampton Roads native has been an essential member of the starting line-up over the last two seasons, which has seen the Old Dominion defense strike up 12 shutouts.
Farquhar jumped into a starting midfield role in 2003 and proved herself battle tested and ready to produce under pressure on both the offensive and defensive sides of the field. Last season, Farquhar's keen timing helped her lead the Lady Monarchs in defensive saves, including one that kept Old Dominion on top of the CAA standings with a crucial block against the 11th-ranked Delaware Blue Hens in a 6-5 overtime victory. Farquhar will be looked upon to continue to fire upon the opponent net and continue to be a key player in the Lady Monarch's transition on the field.
A duo of juniors will bolster the line-up in 2004 as well. The Lady Monarchs return Second Team All-CAA member junior Janelle Engle (Mt. Joy, Pa.), who will team with Maddox to anchor Old Dominion's defensive efforts. Engle, who has started 13 games in the backfield as a freshman and every game as a sophomore, comes to the field in 2004 as the Lady Monarchs' second leading scorer. Last season she tallied five goals and nine assists for 19 points as a vital member of the penalty corner unit.
Local product junior midfielder Jenny Angat (Va. Beach, Va.)begins her third year as one of the more veteran Lady Monarchs. Angat had a successful freshman campaign as only one of two true rookies to earn a starting nod leading to three goals and an assist. Last season, Angat was relied upon as a spark off the bench as one of the top reserve midfielders.
Nine sophomores comprise the 2004 roster, with many of them having gained a vast amount of experience in just one year on the squad. Forward Anna Rogers (New Bloomfield, Pa.) comes to the turf as Old Dominion's top returning scorer. As a freshman, Rogers blasted home 22 points off of nine goals and four assists, which included a game-winner against the 12th-ranked Virginia Cavaliers and multiple point outings against fierce CAA rivals James Madison and Delaware.
Midfielder Dana Sensenig (Denver, Pa.) will also continue her starting role in the midfield after a productive rookie campaign as one of the most consistent Lady Monarchs. Along with five goals and nine assists, Sensenig was key in the transition off Old Dominion's defense. Her naming to the national Under-21 team should also bolster the skills and talent that she brings to the field this season.
Among last year's reserves that will be asked to step up is Mary Cate Gordon (Oreland, Pa.), who will look to fill the cage come the start of the season. Gordon completed her redshirt freshman season watching four-year veteran Mary Beth Freeman help Old Dominion to seven shutouts and the Final Four in 2002 and also saw action in two games under last year's keeper in Tina Walker. Challenging Gordon for the role will be two newcomers in freshmen Maggie Hayes (Coopersburg, Pa.) and Lyndsay Meabon (Dillsburg, Pa.)
Reservists Darcy Pinchbeck and Katie Claxton (Va. Beach, Va.) will also be asked to step up their roles for the upcoming season. Pinchbeck, a forward out of nearby Suffolk, Va., grew as the season progressed last season making her mark in the post-season with game-winning goals in the NCAA as well as CAA Tournaments. Claxton, also a forward who made 12 starts in 22 of her appearances, comes back as the Lady Monarch's third leading scorer having tallied six goals to go along with an assist.
Rounding out the Lady Monarch roster will be seven incoming freshman, who under Anders' tutelage, will be ready to contribute immediately in their first collegiate hockey season.
Old Dominion's schedule, as it is every year, will test the Lady Monarchs through the season in both conference and non-conference competition. Both William & Mary and Delaware finished last season ranked in the top 20 and will once again prove to be formidable foes for the Lady Monarchs in CAA action as Old Dominion looks continue to dominate the Colonial Athletic Association. The schedule also featured home and away dates will perennial powerhouse Maryland, along with 2003 national runner-up Duke. In all, six of Old Dominion's non-conference opponents for the upcoming season were nationally ranked at the conclusion of last year.
The Lady Monarchs will have a warm-up against Richmond on Tuesday evening when they scrimmage Richmond at 5:00 p.m. at Foremam Field. The 2004 regular season gets under way on Saturday. Old Dominion opens the year with six away games beginning with Penn State on Saturday, August 28th.