Aug. 26, 2006
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.-- The fourth ranked Old Dominion field hockey squad opened the 2006 season with a 3-1 victory over seventh ranked Penn State on Saturday afternoon. The Lady Monarchs never trailed in the contest striking first with 10 minutes into the game and senior Dana Sensenig (Denver, Pa.) putting away the game-winner just before halftime.
Senior Caroline Nichols (Va. Beach, Va.) captured ODU's first goal of the season off the Lady Monarchs' first penalty corner attempt of the game. Nichols shot on goal where the ball deflected off Penn State netminder Jen Beaumont and into the net for the 1-0 lead. Sophomore Katelyn Smither (Suffolk, Va.) and Sensenig recorded the assist.
Sensenig would register what would become the eventual game-winner with less than a minute left in the first half. Junior Shannon Mobley (Va. Beach, Va.) fed Sensenig a pass near the left side of the cage for the 2-0 advantage.
Penn State thwarted the shutout in the early minutes of the second half. Natalie Blasco managed to intercept the ball from the Lady Monarchs to feed Annelise Legel for the score.
The Ladey Monarchs did manage one more score before the end of the game with freshman Katie Ueberroth (Stevens, Pa.) found her way to the back of the Nittany Lion net in a scramble in front of the cage.
The teams were even in shots in the first half 4-4 but ODU outshot Penn State 7-3 in the second half and ended the game with an 11-7 advantage. The Nittany Lions were only able to take two shots that were not the result of penalty corners.
In net, Kelly Driscoll picked up the win in her collegiate debut. Driscoll posted two saves, while her counterpart Beaumont stopped five Lady Monarch shots in the loss.
Old Dominion will take on Ohio tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. on AstroTurf Field in a neutral site game on the campus of Penn State.