Aug. 23, 2007
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NORFOLK, Va. -- The regular season kicks off for the 2007 version of the Old Dominion field hockey team this weekend. The No. 6 Lady Monarchs host No. 7 Penn State on Saturday and Miami (Ohio) on Sunday. Both games begin at 1:00 p.m. at Foreman Field and admission is free. Longwood and Miami (Ohio) will play in a neutral site contest at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.
The Old Dominion field hockey team is 28-5 all-time in season openers and have won their last five. The Penn State Lady Lions serve as the season opener for the fourth straight season.
The Lady Lions also serve as the first of eight teams featured in the STX/NFHCA Preseason Poll's top 20, that the Lady Monarchs will take on list season. The Redhawks of Miami (Ohio) are currently receiving votes.
The opponent coaches this weekend may seem familiar to longtime ODU field hockey fans. Char Morrett, now in her 21st season with Penn State, was an assistant under ODU head coach Beth Anders from 1980-1984. Morrett helped coach the Lady Monarchs to their first three national champions. At the helm of the Miami (Ohio) program is hall of famer Jill Reeve. Reeve, now in her second season with the Redhawks, was the most recent field hockey inductee into the hall after capturing an NCAA record 138 career assists. She helped the Lady Monarchs earn three straight NCAA titles from 1990-92.
The Lady Monarchs welcome back nine letterwinners and five starters from last year's team that finished third in the nation in both the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) and Women's Field Hockey.com polls. Joining the team's three seniors, two juniors, and seven sophomores, will be eight freshmen. Among the top returnees include seniors Jo Ann van Aswegen (6 goals, 2 assists) and Sami McLenegan (3 goals, 1 assists), along with junior Katelyn Smither (1 goals, 6 assists). Junior Kelly Driscoll, who collected 12 shutouts in her first season in the cage for the Lady Monarchs, returns as well.