Aug. 28, 2011
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The Old Dominion field hockey team picked up its second Top 10 win in three days as the Lady Monarchs upended No. 10 American, 4-1, Sunday afternoon in Charlottesville. ODU, which topped No. 8 Penn State on Friday, is now 2-0 on the year.
Newcomers proved to be the difference for the Lady Monarchs, as they scored all the goals on Sunday. Senior forward Emma Batten posted a pair of scores, while freshmen Kelsey Smither and Lydia Velzian each netted their first goals in an ODU uniform.
Batten, who leads the team with seven points on three goals and an assist after the first weekend of play, put the Lady Monarchs on the board first. She planted herself on the left baseline and tapped home a pass from senior Kathryn Kirk for the games opening tally.
Just three minutes later Smither dribbled the ball inside the circle and blasted a shot from straight on for her first collegiate goal. That score, which put ODU up two, came at the 12:35 mark and the game would remain that score into the intermission.
The Lady Monarchs would not let up in the second half, scoring seven minutes into the stanza on a strike from Velzian. The freshman from New Zealand corralled a ball that American was attempting to clear and she drilled a shot into the upper right part of the cage to put ODU up 3-0.
Batten would score her second goal less than three minutes later, deflecting a shot from Smither past the American goalkeeper. The Eagles would get on the board late with a goal from Jenn Bradley, but AU would never threaten ODU's lead.
Senior goalkeeper Devon Seifert registered three saves in her second win of the season.
The Lady Monarchs will next welcome a pair of Top 5 opponents to the Powhatan Sports Complex. Defending NCAA Champion Maryland comes to Norfolk on Friday, Sept. 2 for a 5 p.m. matchup with the Lady Monarchs. On Sunday, Sept. 4 ODU will host third-ranked Virginia at 1 p.m.
-ODU-