Sept. 29, 2010
NORFOLK, Va. - After a brief two-week hiatus, the Old Dominion field hockey team finds itself back in the national rankings. The Lady Monarchs, who are preparing to host Delaware in their Colonial Athletic Association home opener on Friday, placed No. 20 in the latest 2010 Kookaburra/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll.
After playing eight of its first 10 games on the road, Old Dominion will now play seven of its next nine games at home. The home stretch starts this weekend against Delaware on Friday at 5 p.m. and Towson on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Lady Monarchs (4-6, 1-0 CAA) are looking to improve on their season-high three-game winning streak and remain perfect in league play.
ODU is coming off a pair of road wins at Northeastern and No. 11 Boston University. Junior goalkeeper Devon Seifert has been stellar between the pipes, posting 13 saves on the weekend as the Lady Monarchs blanked the Huskies, 2-0, and followed suit against the Terriers by a score of 1-0.
Delaware (4-5, 0-2) opened conference play with a pair of losses at home. The Hens dropped a 2-1 heartbreaker to VCU in double overtime on Friday before being routed, 7-1, by James Madison to close the weekend. Senior back Michelle Drummonds scored her seventh goal of the season against the Dukes, tying her career mark she set as a rookie in 2007.
Towson (4-6, 0-2) began its first week of conference play at home with losses to VCU and then 20th-ranked James Madison. Towson received scores from junior midfielder Kim Schnell and sophomore mid Janine Kovach, the first of their careers, but suffered a narrow 3-2 setback to the Dukes on Friday. The Tigers could not find the back of the net as they were toppled, 2-0, by the Rams to wrap up the weekend.
Old Dominion is a perfect 9-0 all-time against Towson and 8-2-1 against Delaware. The Lady Monarchs lost at UD last season, but topped Towson on the road.
-ODU-