Nov. 8, 2008
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- The Old Dominion field hockey team advanced to the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) championship game by upsetting second-seeded Drexel, 4-2, Saturday afternoon at the National Training Center. The third-seeded Lady Monarchs will face top-seeded James Madison in the tournament finale on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
The victory, which improved Old Dominion to 10-12 overall, was the Lady Monarchs first over a Top 20 program this season. The No. 14 Dragons, who fell to 16-4 overall, will now wait to see if they receive an at-large bid to the 16-team NCAA Tournament.
Old Dominion raced out to a 2-0 lead 20 minutes into the game. The Lady Monarchs scored quickly with Amanda Bieber (Elizabethtown, Pa.) connecting on a rebound off a penalty corner attempt to put Old Dominion up 1-0 less than three minutes into the contest. In the game's 20th minute, sophomore Stephanie Kratzer (Lititz, Pa.) hit home a blast from the left post giving Old Dominion the 2-0 edge.
Drexel got onto the scoreboard right before the half. Jen Cairone tipped in a pass from Susan Ciufo at the right post during a penalty corner attempt cutting the Dragon deficit to one, 2-1, entering the intermission.
The Dragons quickly tied the game up in the opening moments of the second stanza. In a near identical set-up, Cairone captured her second goal from the right post, this time with the assist from Kim Tunell, to tie the game at 2-2, two and half minutes into the second half.
The Lady Monarchs responded immediately. Freshman Rachel Stream (Poolesville, Md.) would record the eventual game-winner, the first of her career, 39 seconds after Drexel tied the game to put Old Dominion ahead for good. Stream blasted the ball from the top of the circle to give the Lady Monarchs a 3-2 advantage.
Less than three minutes later, Stream scored again adding in an insurance goal. On the final tally the afternoon, Stream found the back of the Drexel cage on a penalty corner with Loran Hatch (Green Lane, Pa.) on the insert and Hanna Warren (Green Lane, Pa.) on the stick-stop.
With her two goals, the CAA All-Rookie team member Stream became the Lady Monarchs second leading scorer on the year. She has now totaled five goals and an assist for 11 points.
Senior goalkeeper Kelly Driscoll (West Chester, Pa.) made eight saves in the victory, while Drexel's Colleen McAndrew posted nine stops.
Old Dominion outshot Drexel, 19-4, and held a 9-6 edge in penalty corners.
Old Dominion will try to bring home its 14th CAA title tomorrow, Sunday, November 9th at 1:00 p.m. The Lady Monarchs will take on the two-time defending conference champions, James Madison, at the National Training Center.