April 20, 2008
NORFOLK, Va. -- In the final women's lacrosse game in Foreman Field history, the Old Dominion Lady Monarchs (4-8/0-6) nearly defeated the #15 Towson Tigers (11-5/5-2) in a game that featured no lead bigger than two goals for more than 58 minutes. Towson would add an insurance goal with 1:12 remaining for the final tally, 11-8, but the game was a back-and-forth battle from the opening whistle. Three seniors scored in their final home game and sophomore Ashley Kellogg netted three for her fifth hat trick of the season.
In the tightest game since a 7-6 victory over Rutgers earlier this season ODU would score first, as senior Sigrid Paulus received a pass from Ashley Kellogg off the opening draw and rifled it home just nine seconds into the game.
The Tigers would go on a 3-1 run to go up 4-2, though, with Nikki Marcinik scoring twice. Erica Erb scored the Lady Monarchs goal off a free-position attempt just under three minutes into the game.
Old Dominion battled back and scored five of the next six for a 7-5 lead.Kellogg notched her first on a free position shot, senior Kaelyn Schival found the back of the net off the first of three Jessica Noone assists and Saratu Dodo both scored and assisted on goals during the run.
ODU would be on the offensive when Dodo found Katherine Bruno in the arc for a nifty fake followed by a shot and the score with 3:43 remaining. Just moments following Bruno's goal the skies would open up and with a lightning strike, the teams were forced to leave the field.
After a 45-minute delay, both teams returned to finish out the half. Old Dominion would get the ball back in the final minute off a turnover by Marcinik and with 16 seconds remaining, Kellogg scored her second of the day. Noone had her second assist with the goal, as she threaded a pass from behind the net to find Kellogg streaking into the arc for the score.
The score put ODU up 7-5 headed into the half, but it would prove to be the largest lead of the night as Towson turned and went on a run of their own. The Tigers outscored ODU in the second half, 6-1, en route to the 11-8 victory. Six different Tigers scored in the frame as Marcinik and Hillary Fratzke both completed their hat tricks in the run.
The lone score of the half for Old Dominion came from Kellogg, as Noone again found her from behind the goal. The goal cut the lead to one at 8-9, but Towson managed to control the ball and score two to end the game with the victory.
Senior Sara Larson made 14 saves in the game for Old Dominion, including several tough saves on back-to-back opportunities for Towson. She faced 33 shots in the game, making it four straight games where 30 or more shots were taken against ODU. Larson, Brittany Washko and Erica Erb each had two caused turnovers in the game for the Lady Monarchs defense.
ODU will wrap up the 2008 season this Thursday, April 24 at William & Mary with start time set for 7:00 p.m.