Aug. 31, 2006
Game Notes in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
NOTE: Stay tuned to odusports.com about any changes in schedule due to the arrival of Tropical Storm Ernesto.
Saturday, September 2 - at #1 Maryland
Sunday, September 3 - at #19 Virginia
THIS IS HOW WE START: Old Dominion opened up the 2006 campaign with two wins, a 3-1 victory over #7 Penn State and a 6-1 win over Ohio University. Last time the Lady Monarchs opened the season 2-0 was back in 2002, the same year the Lady Monarchs reached their 15th Final Four.
RANK `EM UP: Last weekend's opponent in Penn State represented the first of nine teams ranked in the NFHCA Preseason Poll the Lady Monarchs will face. Others currently include #1 Maryland, #3 Duke, #8 Michigan, #13 Northeastern, #18 James Madison, #19 Richmond, and #19 Virginia.
HOME AND HOME: Saturday's game against Maryland marks the first of two meetings between the Terps and Lady Monarchs. The 2005 national champions come to Norfolk on Sautrday, October 14th.
BRING ON THE ACC: It's an ACC weekend for the Lady Monarchs as they take on Maryland and Virginia, just one of four ACC teams the Lady Monarchs will face. In addition to a home and home series with Maryland, the Lady Monarchs will also face Duke and North Carolina twice in 2006.
LAST TIME VS. MARYLAND: The Old Dominion University field hockey team's 2005 season came to an end on November 18th at Trager Stadium on the campus of the University of Louisville as the Lady Monarchs fell 3-2 to top seeded Maryland in the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament. The Lady Monarchs, who were making their 16th Final Four appearance, concluded the 2005 season with a 19-6 overall record. Maryland took an early lead as Paula Infante incepted the ball near midfield, entered the top of the circle and fired past former ODU keeper Mary Cate Gordon four minutes into the contest. Gordon came up with five saves during that half to keep the score 1-0 heading into halftime. The Lady Monarchs were outshot 8-1 in the first 35 minutes of the game. Old Dominion did not wait long to tie the score and came out with more fire power in the second half. Senior Darcy Pinchebeck (Suffolk, Va.) knotted the score at 1-1 less than two minutes after the opening whistle. The Lady Monarchs were awarded a penalty corner with former Lady Monarch Janelle Engle striking the ball at the Terp net. Maryland came up with the save as the ball drifted the right side of the cage for an open Pinchbeck to fire into in the back of the cage. The lead went back to the Terps at the 43rd minute of the game, 2-1. Maryland's Infante took the ball on a penalty corner and fed it wide left to Janneke van Leewen for the tip in. Old Dominion immediately struck back looking for the come from behind victory. Less than two minute after the Terps took a two-goal advantage, Engle cut the deficit to one with 5:51 left in regulation. Engle took a swing after Caroline Nichols (Va. Beach, Va.) made the stick stop. The ball was saved put took a hard bounce right back to Engle who swung again, but this time got the ball into the net. Unfortunately the Lady Monarchs were kept away from the Maryland net and time expired as the Terps returned to the national championship game for the first time since 2001.
HOME AND HOME: Saturday's game against Maryland marks the first of two meetings between the Terps and Lady Monarchs. The 2005 national champions come to Norfolk on Sautrday, October 14th.
LAST TIME VS. VIRGINIA: The Old Dominion field hockey team earned its first shutout victory of the 2005 season with a 4-0 win over Virginia back on September 3rd at Foreman Field. The Lady Monarch defense held the Cavaliers without a single shot on net, while senior Anna Rogers (New Bloomfield, Pa.) would register the game-winner with 17:21 remaining in the first half. The Cavaliers had entered the game averaging 5.0 goals per game. Rogers was one of three Lady Monarchs to pick up goals. After assisting on Rogers' first goal of the year, Denise Admiraal (Heillo, Holland) gave the Lady Monarchs a 2-0 lead moments later. On a penalty corner attempt, striker Janelle Engle sent the ball into the circle where Admiraal chipped it in. Dana Sensenig (Denver, Pa.), tallied ODU's last two goals of the game. Her first came in the first half of action with only 2:06 left before the half as she drove hard into the circle and out maneuvered the Virginia defense. Her second goal of the afternoon and the only goal scored in the second half was another drive straight into the circle, getting past Cavalier netminder Katherine Blair. Blair finished the afternoon with six saves, while the Cavalier offense failed to get a shot off near the ODU goal. In all, ODU totaled 11 shots, including eight in the first half. The Lady Monarchs also amassed nine penalty corner attempts.
FORMER LADY MONARCHS IN THE NEWS - WORLD CUP: USA Field Hockey and women's national team coach Lee Bodimeade have announced that two former Lady Monarchs will be among the 16-member team to represent the USA at next month's Samsung World Cup in Madrid, Spain. Honda Award winner Tiffany Snow and All-American Angie Loy will try to help the US team bring home gold beginning on September 27th. The USA will meet Argentina in the team's World Cup opener on Sept. 27 and will meet Australia in the second game on Sept. 28. The USA earned its first victory over Argentina in 16 years with a 2-1 win during the AstroTurf March on Madrid and earned a 1-1 draw with Australia during the first round of the event.
COMING UP: The Lady Monarchs play at Foreman Field for the first time this season next weekend. After a neutral site game featuring Richmond and Michigan on Friday evening at 6:00 p.m., the Lady Monarchs will host the Richmond Spiders on Saturday, September 9th in their home oepner at 3:00 p.m. The weekend will close with ODU hosting Michigan on Sunday, September 10th at 2:00 p.m. After hosting the Wolverines, who the Lady Monarchs defeated in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, ODU will be on the road for its next five games.