Nov. 12, 2005
NORFOLK, VA-- After rallying to beat No. 5 seed UNC-Wilmington 2-1 on Friday night, the top-seeded and 7th ranked nationally Old Dominion Soccer Monarchs will match up with No. 2 seed Hofstra in the CAA Championship final Sunday afternoon. Game time is set for 2:00 p.m. and will take place at the ODU Soccer Stadium. ODU/Hofstra is a rematch of last season's CAA Championship which saw Hofstra edge the Monarchs 1-0 in Richmond.
ODU comes into this contest with a 15-2-2 (10-1-1) mark, including a 9-1-1 home record. In the 2-1 come from behind win against UNCW on Friday night, junior midfielder Jared Kent (Marietta, GA) assisted on late goals by sophomore defender David Horst (Pine Grove, PA) and senior forward and 2005 CAA Player of the Year Brian Cvilikas (Highlands Ranch, CO) to advance the Monarchs to the championship. Cvilikas now has 15 goals on his resume in 2005, and Kent upped his assist total to six on the year.
Hofstra made their way to this point on the strength of a 3-2 comeback overtime victory over No. 3 seed James Madison on Friday. In that contest, sophomore Adrian Papaluca finished the Dukes in the first overtime session with a goal set up by All-CAA first teamer Michael Todd and second teamer Constantinos Christoudias. Todd also added a goal, as did fellow All-CAA first team member Chris Cox.
In ODU's previous meeting with Hofstra this season in Norfolk, the Monarchs prevailed 1-0. Cvilikas scored the game-winner off a feed from Kent in the 4th minute of play, and a stout Monarch defense allowed that deficit to stand for the final 86 minutes. Old Dominion out shot the Pride 23-11 in that match.
Ticket prices for the event are $5 for adults and $3 for children under 17, military, senior citizens, and faculty. Students with a valid ID from ODU and Hofstra are admitted free.