Aug. 30, 2009
NORFOLK, Va. - The sophomore tandem of Rachel Stream (Poolesville, Md) and Kathryn Kirk (Lititz, Pa.) accounted for four Old Dominion goals as the 16th-ranked Lady Monarch field hockey team cruised to a 7-1 win over Villanova at the Powhatan Sports Complex Sunday afternoon.
Old Dominion's seven goals were the most scored by the Lady Monarchs since an 8-1 victory over Radford in 2007. Five different ODU players tallied goals and five different players dished out assists.
The Lady Monarchs offense produces a balanced attack with 12 shots in each half, including 14 total shots-on-goal. ODU also dominated in penalty corner opportunities, garnering 10 to Villanova's four attempts.
Stream got ODU's offense rolling early, scoring off a penalty corner just over three minutes into the first half. The Wildcats answered just two minutes later as Dana Ramsden blasted a shot from 10 yards out to tie the game.
The score would remain tied until the Lady Monarchs gained a penalty corner as time expired in the first half. Samantha Richardson (Surrey, B.C. Canada) fed Kirk to give ODU the 2-1 advantage going into intermission.
The Old Dominion offense looked extremely sharp in the second half as the Lady Monarchs scored five consecutive goals. Kirk scored her second consecutive goal and Kathleen Shea (Elizaville, N.Y.) followed three minutes later with her first of the season to give ODU the 4-1 edge. Shea took advantage of a rebound off a penalty corner, getting a shot on goal that was saved, before burying her second opportunity directly in front of the cage.
Stream would register her second goal of the game and third of the season 14 minutes into the second half and she was followed by a Stephanie Kratzer (Lititz, Pa.) score, pushing ODU's lead to 6-1.
Richardson would seal the game with just under 10 minutes remaining as she tapped in a goal off an exceptional fast-break feed from freshman Kimberly Oakes (West Chester, Pa.).
Junior Loran Hatch (Green Lane, Pa.) and senior Hanna Warren (Green Lane, Pa.) paced Old Dominion with two assists each. Hatch has four assists on the year to lead ODU.
Senior goalkeeper Kelly Driscoll (West Chester, Pa.) allowed only one goal for the second straight game and she recorded four saves in the win. Maura McCormick made a game-high six saves for the Wildcats.
The Lady Monarchs will conclude their four-game homestand Labor Day weekend with matchups against No. 1 Maryland and No. 6 Virginia. ODU will welcome defending-national champion Maryland to the Powhatan Sports Complex on Friday, Sept. 4 for a 5 p.m. game and the Cavaliers will travel to Norfolk on Monday, Sept. 7 for a 12 noon contest.
-ODU-