Sept. 30, 2005
NORFOLK, Va. -- The sixth-ranked Old Dominion field hockey team took a 3-0 lead early in the second half and thwarted a late surge by James Madison to hold on for a 3-2 victory over the No. 17 Dukes Friday night at Foreman Field.
The victory, Old Dominion's fourth straight, improved the squad to 7-4 overall and 2-0 in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). Meanwhile James Madison fell to 5-5 overall in their 2005 CAA debut.
The Lady Monarchs controlled the first half of action and held a 2-0 lead at the half. Senior Darcy Pinchbeck (Suffolk, Va.) got scoring started seven minutes into the game as classmate Anna Rogers (New Bloomfield, Pa.) crossed the ball in front of the net to await Pinchbeck's shot on the right corner. Midway through the half, Old Dominion added in another goal coming on the option from one of their four penalty corners of the period. After junior Caroline Nichols (Va. Beach, Va.) stopped the insert, striker Janelle Engle (Mt. Joy, Pa.) quickly passed the ball to the left corner for Daphne Admiraal (Heiloo, Holland) to find the back of the James Madison cage. In all, the Lady Monarchs had six shots in the half and held to Dukes to just one.
Old Dominion started the second half slow, but junior Dana Sensenig (Denver, Pa.) managed to give the Lady Monarchs a 3-0 advantage with over 30 minute left in the game. Sensenig fired off a hard shot near the top left of the circle for her eighth tally of the season.
James Madison however did not go quietly. The comeback started as Lindsay Coffman fired off a hard shot as she entered the circle with just under 22 minutes left in the game. The goal was Coffman's first of the season. Both teams took turns at each others net and managed several times to get into the circle, but neither team could convert until the Dukes were awarded a penalty corner with under eight minutes to go. Like the Lady Monarchs had done earlier, James Madison used the option with stick-stopper Maureen Klingler passing to freshman Ashley Walls along the right side of the cage putting the Dukes within one. Neither team managed a tally in the closing minutes.
Old Dominion's Mary Cate Gordon (Oreland, Pa.) made three stops in the victory, while starting keeper Lori Amico and reserve Merel Broekhuizen combined for five saves in the loss.
The Lady Monarchs outshot the Dukes, 10-6, and outcornered them, 5-3.
Old Dominion will return to action on Sunday, October 2nd, when they travel to Towson for a 1:00 p.m. game.