March 24, 2008
NORFOLK, Va. -- The Lady Monarchs won their fourth straight contest to start the season for the first time in program history on Monday as they dropped Rutgers in a tight game at Foreman Field, 7-6. Newcomer Saratu Dodo notched her second gamewinner and midfielder Jessica Capra had a key caused turnover in the 8-meter arc with under two minutes to go to seal the win for Old Dominion.
ODU tallies the best start in program history, going 4-0 to start the season for the first time since the inception of the program in 1980.
The game was back-and-forth the whole way, as Rutgers jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first ten minutes, but ODU answered with three to tie it up with 5:17 remaining in the first half. Rutgers would score on a free-position shot with just under two minutes remaining to take a 4-3 halftime lead.
Coming out of the break, though, the Lady Monarchs would knot it back up just twenty seconds into the half, as Jessica Noone scored an unassisted goal, her second of three on the day.
Old Dominion would take their first lead of the game when Kelly Kimener received a pass from Jessica Noone after a nifty spin move in the arc.
Michelle Poole, for Rutgers, answered just four minutes later with a score off an assist by Mary Cryan. However, ODU would take the lead for good just 36 seconds later as Noone scored her third goal of the day off a Nicole McMahon assist, her first of the season.
The gamewinning goal would come with 15:28 remaining as Saratu Dodo received an assist from Kimener, her eighth of the year, and buried it in the bottom right corner of the cage. Kimener leads the CAA in assists per game with 2.00 apg.
With the lead at two, Rutgers would not go easily and scored with 12:16 on the clock to cut the lead back to one, 7-6. Down the stretch the Scarlet Knights had several opportunities against the Lady Monarch defense, including two free-position attempts. The key possession, though, came with just under two minutes remaining as Rutgers' Kristen Anderson worked for positioning in the arc and looked ready to take a shot. ODU's Jessica Capra got her stick in the way and caused the turnover that would give ODU possession the rest of the way with just 1:51 remaining.
ODU got three goals and two assists from Noone, as she had a hand in five of the seven scores. She now leads the team in goals with 10 and is second on the team in points with 14. Kimener had a goal and an assist in the game and leads the team in points with 15.
Old Dominion is now averaging 9.25 goals per game while holding opponents to just 6.75.
The next game for Old Dominion is at #2 Virginia on Wednesday, April 2 at 7:00 pm.