Nov. 6, 2009
NORFOLK, Va. -- Tonight at the Ted Constant Convocation Center, the 2009-10 Lady Monarchs will take on the Chowan University in exhibition action to kick off the season. Tip is set for 7:00 p.m. as ODU battles the Hawks in Norfolk as part of a two-game exhibition schedule this year.
Students will be admitted free with a valid ID. Tickets to the exhibition are on sale at the Ted box office, for $10 each. Faculty and staff, military, senior citizens and youth prices are $7 each.
Old Dominion opened the 2009-10 season with the annual Blue-White Scrimmage last week, with newcomers Tia Lewis (Poulan, Ga.) and Kquanise Byrd (St. Petersburg, Fla.) making a big splash. Lewis scored 19 points and hauled in 11 rebounds while Byrd added 18 in her Lady Monarch debut.
Tonight, ODU's first exhibition comes against the Chowan Hawks, coming off an 11-15 season. Chowan returns two of its top three scorers from a year ago in Brittany Nicholson (8.0 ppg) and Najah Harris (7.9 ppg). Taylor Hughes also returns after leading Chowan in rebounding in her rookie season last year, grabbing 5.2 rpg.
Old Dominion will feature Lewis and Byrd in its new-look offense this season, after losing All-CAA center Tiffany Green and senior point guards Jazzmin Walters and Jen Nuzzo. Also returning to the floor this season are juniors Jasmine Parker and Shadasia Green, both among the team leaders statistically last season.
Tonight's exhibition is the first of two this season for Old Dominion, as they will face off against Shaw University next Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. before opening up the regular season on Friday against #2 Stanford.
PACK THE HOUSE: Come out and support the Lady Monarchs on Friday as they take on the Cardinal of Stanford University in the NCAA "Pack the House" Challenge. Old Dominion will be looking to set a new attendance record as the Lady Monarchs take on the second ranked team in the nation. All tickets will be reduced to $5 for the contest and, as always, students are admitted free with a valid ID.