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NORFOLK, Va. - Entering today Old Dominion knew it would be the top-seed and host the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament, but after a dominating 6-1 victory over VCU Sunday, the top-ranked Lady Monarchs have now clinched the conference regular season title outright.
Old Dominion (17-1, 7-0 CAA) controlled play from beginning to end, outshooting VCU 32-1 and garnering nine penalty corners to zero for the Rams. The one shot allowed by the ODU defense is the lowest shot total for an opponent all season.
Five different Lady Monarchs scored on the afternoon and senior Emma Batten led all players with two goals. The Oxford, UK native now has a team-high 19 goals on the season.
Junior Danielle Clutter got ODU on the board first, blasting a shot from left to right that just snuck under the diving VCU goalkeepers reach for the first Lady Monarch tally of the game.
Goalie Erin Jablonski kept the Rams in the contest for much of the first half, but a Rebecca Condie tip-in score in the 27th minute sent the Lady Monarchs into halftime up 2-0.
Old Dominion continued to pressure the Rams in the second period and just over four minutes into the stanza, ODU cashed in on a Kelsey Smither high and lofty shot that sailed over the keeper's head and dropped in the cage.
Batten scored ODU's next two goals before VCU's Kelsey Scherrer posted her 10th goal of the season to give the Rams life at the 52:03 mark.
Maartje van Rijswijk, who assisted on a pair of Lady Monarchs goals Sunday, dribbled the end line in the games final 10 minutes and found Nearhouse for the final goal of the game. Old Dominion got off a remarkable 24 shots in the second half.
The Lady Monarchs continue their five-game homestand next weekend against William & Mary Friday at 5 p.m. and verse No. 2 North Carolina on Sunday at 1 p.m. Old Dominion will also host this years CAA Tournament at the Powhatan Sports complex November 3-6 with all game times to be announced next week.
-ODU-