Aug. 22, 2008
HIGH POINT, N.C. - In the opening game of the 2008 regular season, the Lady Monarchs (1-0) dropped the defending Big South Champion Panthers of High Point University (0-1) with a three-goal effort in the second half. Old Dominion jumped out to a quick lead in the second half and then kept coming as senior Shavon Knight led the way with two scores and freshman Victoria Johnson also added the first goal of her career. ODU outshot High Point 29-4 while senior Lauren Tupman pitched her first shutout of the season and the ninth of her career for the win. ODU will take the field next on Friday, August 29 at George Washington University. Kick-off is set for 4:00 p.m.
Knight knocked home the first of her two goals just over two minutes into the second half off a long lead pass from sophomore Ashley Kukura. Just under five minutes later, Johnson scored her first career goal on classmate Jocelyn Weidner's first career assist. Weidner found herself on the ground between two defenders, but still was able to scoot the ball ahead to Johnson, who took one dribble and tickled the twine in the right corner past the diving keeper.
Knight finished the Lady Monarch scoring with a goal in the 60th minute of play on a rebound of junior Brittney Kortz' shot, her first career assist. Janna Pearson sent a corner kick to the far post and Kortz then sent a shot into the left post. It deflected right to the waist of Knight who walked it in for the goal.
The Lady Monarchs pestered the Panthers defense all night, taking 29 shots, including 12 on-goal. Redshirt freshman Kendra Edwards made five saves in the first frame in her first collegiate appearance, but gave up all three goals in the first 15 minutes of the second.
The Old Dominion defense looked good in their first game of the season, limiting High Point to just four shots in the game. Twice in the first frame freshman Lisa Bernardini made good trailing defensive stands on High Point's best offensive opportunities of the game. After an ODU indirect kick from 20 yards out, High Point punched a ball over everyone giving nothing but daylight between Panther forward Sara Rager and the goal. Bernardini burned back and cleared the ball from behind, halting the attack. Again, 20 minutes later, after a corner kick Bernardini found herself as the only one between the High Point offense and the goal. She held her ground long enough for senior Marilee Mastaler to come back and double, thwarting another good opportunity for the Panthers.
Old Dominion will take the field again next weekend, as they travel to George Washington University and then to Loyola College (Md.). Friday night's game against the Colonials will begin at 4:00 p.m. and kick-off against the Greyhounds is set for 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 31.
ODU 0-3=3HPU 0-0=0Shots: ODU (28), HPU (4)SOG: ODU (13), HPU (2)Corners: ODU (6), HPU (2)Saves: ODU - Tupman (2); HPU - Edwards (8), Ritchie (2)Goals: 46:58 - Knight (1) from Kukura51:38 - Johnson (1) from Weidner59:26 - Knight (2) from Kortz