Nov. 3, 2010
NORFOLK, Va. - The Old Dominion field hockey team moved up in both the NCAA Field Hockey RPI and the Kookaburra/NFHCA Top 20 poll. The Lady Monarchs are ranked No. 10 in the RPI and match their highest ranking in the coaches' poll, checking in at No. 16 this week.
Old Dominion jumped three spots in the NFHCA poll and is the highest ranked CAA squad. Drexel fell one place to No. 18. Northeastern and VCU are the seventh and 10th leading vote getters outside the nation's top 20 this week.
The RPI rankings include games played through Oct. 31. ODU currently sits 10th, while Drexel enters the RPI rankings at No. 19 this week.
ODU (10-10, 7-1 CAA) closed out the regular season last weekend by splitting a pair of games. The Lady Monarchs dropped a close 2-1 decision to second-ranked North Carolina at home on Saturday, but bounced back with a 5-1 win over William & Mary on the road the next day. Senior Paige Clutter registered a pair of goals and dished out an assist against the Tribe.
Clutter currently has 18 assists on the season, which ranks eighth nationally. The second-seeded Lady Monarchs match up with NU in CAA semifinal action on Saturday.
POSTSEASON PREVIEW: Saturday's first CAA semifinal showdown pits #1 Drexel against #4 VCU. It will be the two teams' second meeting of the year and their first in Philadelphia. The Dragons downed the Rams, 3-1, the last time out on Oct. 1 in Richmond. Drexel has proven formidable on its home turf after rolling to a 9-2 record at home this year, which is tops in the league in 2010. The Rams currently boast the CAA's second-best road record at 6-3. ODU and NU will take the field in Saturday's second semifinal. The Lady Monarchs handed the Huskies a 2-0 loss in both teams' conference opener on Sept. 24 in Boston. The two teams are each 10-10 on the year and both have heated up down the home stretch this season. The Lady Monarchs open tournament play having won four straight conference contests and nine of their last 13 games overall. The Huskies have come out on top in four of their last five matchups, including two wins over ranked opponents.
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