Sept. 7, 2006
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NOTE: Stay tuned to odusports.com for the availablity of livestats.
Saturday, September 9 - vs. #19 Richmond
Sunday, September 10 - vs. #20 Michigan
THIS IS HOW WE START: Old Dominon started off the 2006 campaign with a 3-0 start, its best start to a season since they started off the 2002 Final Four season 3-0 as well. On Monday, defending national champions No. 1 Maryland put a halt to win streak in a thrilling 1-0 game. Ironically it was also Maryland, also ranked #1 at the time, who snapped the 2002 team's three game season opening win streak as well. In that game, the Lady Monarchs fell 0-2. During the win streak this season, Old Dominion downed two ranked opponents with a 3-1 win over #7 Penn State and a 3-2 victory over #19 Virginia. Also in the win streak was a 6-1 win over Ohio University, who was receiving votes in the NFHCA Poll.
WELCOME HOME: Old Dominion opens up play at home this weekend for the first time this season as they take on #19 Richmond on Saturday and #20 Michigan on Sunday. The Lady Monarchs have one of the toughest home field turfs to play on. Last season, the Lady Monarchs boasted a 9-3 record with the two of the three losses coming against teams ranked in the top three.
NEUTRAL SITE: Richmond and Michigan will face each other on Friday night at 6:00 p.m. at Foreman Field in a neutral game contest before both meeting the Lady Monarchs this weekend.
NOTE ON THE NATIONAL STATS: National statistics, compiled for the first time by the NCAA, will be released every Monday during the season, starting on Monday, September 11th. Statistics can be accessed at NCAA Field Hockey field hockey website at www.ncaasports.com/fieldhockey/womens.
LAST TIME VS. RICHMOND:: The seventh-ranked Old Dominion University field hockey team used a balanced attack as a different Lady Monarch scored each goal in their 5-2 victory over #16 Richmond on September 24th at Crenshaw Field. The Lady Monarchs improved to 26-0 overall against the Spiders. Old Dominion jumped out to a 4-0 lead at the half, which proved to be too much for the Spiders to overcome. Anna Rogers put the Lady Monarchs onto the scoreboard first as she managed to lift the ball over Richmond keeper Becca Weaver 12 minutes into the game. Five minutes later, fellow classmate Darcy Pinckbeck gave ODU a 2-0 lead on an unassisted tally as she put away a deflection off Weaver. Dana Sensenig added to the lead at the 28-minute mark with her team-leading sixth goal of the season. Sensenig put away a penalty corner rebound with the assists credited to Shannon Mobley and Caroline Nichols. Katelyn Smither rounded out the ODU scoring in the first half. Former Jennifer Angat fed Smither the ball for her breakaway goal in the closing minutes of the half. Richmond broke the shutout over 21 minutes into the second half. Allie Howard notched her first goal of the year as she weaved her way through the Lady Monarch defense and found the back of the net from just inside the circle. Old Dominion responded less than four minutes later to take a 5-1 edge. Senior Janelle Engle joined Sensenig in the leading scorers column as she converted a penalty stroke for her sixth goal of the year. The stroke marked the Lady Monarchs' first of the 2005 season. The Spiders mustered one more goal with a little over seven minutes remaining in the game to bring the final score to 5-2. Ashley Barnes also registered her first goal of the year collecting a rebound off a penalty corner. In all, Old Dominion outshot Richmond, 20-9, and outcornered the Spiders, 7-4.
LAST TIME VS. MICHIGAN: The Old Dominion field hockey team was Final Four Bound for the 16th time in school history after their last meeting with Michigan as the Lady Monarchs defeated the Wolverines, 3-2, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament back on November 13th.. The Lady Monarch never trailed in the contest, but the score was tied at 1-1 entering the half. Old Dominion struck first at the 21st minute as Darcy Pinckbeck received a feed from Nicolien van Nispen from the middle of the circle to open scoring. Four minutes later though, the Wolverines struck back as Erin Dallas tipped a pass from Mary Fox into the corner of the Lady Monarch cage. Twice Michigan found its way into the circle and looked like they had found the back of the Old Dominion cage, but both times were ruled no goal. Two minutes into the second half, Old Dominion struck again to take a lead they would never relinquish. On the first penalty corner of the second half of action, striker Janelle Engle passed the ball back to inserter Dana Sensenig who fired it into the Michigan net. Old Dominion took a 3-1 edge at the 42nd minute. In a loose ball scramble in front of the cage, Katelyn Smither was the Old Dominion player to get a stick on the ball and tip it in. Michigan cut their deficit to one less than four minutes later on the option on the penalty corner. Kara Lentz passed off to Stephanie Hoyer who was waiting along the right side of the ODU cage to tip the ball in. The Lady Monarchs though would keep control of the ball for much of the time left in regulation for the win. Old Dominion outshot Michigan, 16-6, and outcornered their opponent, 6-4.
WELCOME BACK LYNN: A familiar face will return to Foreman Field on Saturday. Lynn Farquhar, who played for Old Dominion 2001-04, will return to her alma mater as an assistant coach with the Richmond Spiders. Farquhar begins her second season on the staff after helping Richmond to a 16-6 overall record, 7-0 Atlantic-10 mark, and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The three-time National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-Academic honoree at Old Dominion, she served as captain, was named Team MVP and Second Team All-South Region as a senior. During her career the Lady Monarchs went 69-25 with three CAA titles, four NCAA appearances, and a 2002 Final Four appearance.
REMATCH ON THE CALENDAR: Old Dominion suffered its first loss of the 2006 season on Monday in a 1-0 defeat at No. 1 Maryland in what has become one of the premiere match-ups in collegiate field hockey. The Lady Monarchs will have a chance for revenge though at the Terps to Norfolk on Sautrday, October 14th.
RANK `EM UP: So far to date the Lady Monarchs are 2-1 against ranked competition and 3-1 against teams either ranked or receiving votes in the polls. ODU is 1-1 against Top Ten opponents with a win against #7 Penn State and a loss to #1 Maryland. Old Dominion will face ten ranked opponents according to the latest NFHCA Poll which will include this week's opponents in #19 Richmond and #20 Michigan along with #4 Duke, #5 North Carolina, #13 James Madison, #17 William & Mary, and #18 Northeastern.
COMING UP: Old Dominion takes to the road for their next five games. Next weekend will be the first of the home-and-home series with Duke and North Carolina. The Lady Monarchs take on fifth ranked Tar Heels on Saturday, September 16th and the fourth ranked Blue Devils on Sunday, September 17th. The following weekend will have Old Dominion renew its rivalry with Princeton in New Jersey and begin the CAA portion of its schedule with the conference opener at Drexel.