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NORFOLK, Va. - Senior Emma Batten scored a career-high four goals to lead top-seeded Old Dominion past second-seeded Northeastern, 5-1, in Sunday's 2011 CAA Virginia 529 Field Hockey Championship game at the Powhatan Sports Complex.
The conference championship is the second straight and 15th overall in ODU history. The Lady Monarchs, ranked No. 2 nationally, will now wait to find out their NCAA Tournament draw.
Batten, who was named the CAA Player of the Year on Friday, posted her third game this season with three or more goals. The senior, who now has 25 goals on the year, was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
Old Dominion improves to 20-2 overall on the year and finishes 2011 with a perfect 10-0 mark in CAA competition.
"Our goal today was to make a memory and we did," said ODU head coach Beth Anders. "They'll remember this forever and it's a great day for them."
Northeastern falls to 14-7 overall with the loss. Junior goalkeeper Lizzie Priest finished with nine saves for the Huskies. Nicky Graham provided the lone goal for Northeastern.
Batten provided an offensive spark early for ODU, when she took Maartje van Rijswijk's crossing pass and knocked in the game's first goal in the sixth minute. The senior forward again scored off a pass from van Rijswijk in the 11th minute to quickly put the Lady Monarchs up 2-0.
"We really wanted to attack the game and that was our aim to go out there, have fun and put some goals in the net," said Batten. "It is a fantastic feeling and it's really nice for all of us to go out on such a good note."
Christy Longacre added her sixth goal of the season in the game's 26th minute to put the Lady Monarchs up 3-0 heading into intermission.
Batten scored her third goal of the contest, taking a crossing pass from Kathryn Kirk and connecting to put ODU up 4-0 in the 37th minute. After Northeastern's Graham connected to trim the lead to 4-1, Batten returned to the scoring column, adding her team-leading 25th goal of the year in the 59th minute to give Old Dominion a 5-1 victory.
Old Dominion outshot the Huskies, 20-7 and recorded a 4-2 advantage in penalty corners.
2011 ALL-CAA CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD HOCKEY TEAMPlayer, SchoolEmma Batten, Old Dominion (Most Outstanding Player)Stephanie Kratzer, Old DominionKati Nearhouse, Old DominionChristy Longacre, Old DominionLizzie Priest, NortheasternCarolyn Malloy, NortheasternPam Aldridge, NortheasternGenna Kovar, HofstraAmy-Lee Levey, HofstraJenna Taylor, James MadisonCourtney Versfeld, James Madison
-ODU-