Sept. 20, 2012
ODU at Hofstra Live Stats
ODU at Northeastern Live Stats
ODU at Northeastern Live Video
NORFOLK, Va. – The No. 9 Old Dominion University field hockey team opens their 2012 conference slate this weekend with a pair of games on the road. The Lady Monarchs take on Hofstra at 3 p.m. on Friday in Hempstead, N.Y. On Sunday, ODU faces No. 8 Northeastern in Chestnut Hill, Mass. at 1 p.m. on Boston College’s campus.
Old Dominion (4-3) split last weekend on the road against a pair of ranked ACC opponents. On Friday, the Lady Monarchs battled back late to close within one goal of top-ranked North Carolina but could not complete the comeback as they fell, 3-2. Sophomore Rosario Villagra and redshirt junior Christy Longacre scored for the Lady Monarchs. Villagra scored again along with freshman Celine Marquet and redshirt sophomore Katy Fuhrman, who each scored their first career goals, in ODU’s 3-1 win at No. 17 Duke on Sunday.
Sunday’s win marked the 550th of head coach Beth Anders’ career. She is 21 wins ahead of North Carolina’s Karen Shelton for the most career wins in NCAA Division I history and her overall career record now sits at 550-133-7 (.802).
ODU is ranked ninth in the latest Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll. The Lady Monarchs have been ranked in the top-10 for 14 consecutive weeks dating back to last season.
The Lady Monarchs have spread the wealth this season on the offensive end as 10 different players have scored a goal. No player has scored more than one goal in any of ODU’s seven games this season so far. Freshman Sarah Breen and Villagra lead the team in goals with four apiece while sophomore Kelsey Smither is the CAA’s leader is assists with four. Longacre has added three goals while senior Kimberly Oakes and junior co-captain Kati Nearhouse have two goals each.
Hofstra (5-3) is led in scoring by sophomore forward Jonel Boileau with eight goals and two assists. Senior Micaela Gallagher has posted three goals and two assists while freshman forward Lauren del Valle is third with three goals and one assist. Junior goalie Kaitlyn De Turo has recorded a goals against average of 1.62 with 52 saves and a .800 save percentage. The Pride are coming off a 3-2 win at home over UC Davis.
No. 8 Northeastern (6-1) is led by preseason CAA Player of the Year senior Crystal Poland who has 13 goals and two assists. Freshman Deidre Duke has added five goals for NU while senior goalkeeper Lizzie Priest has 42 saves while allowing 13 goals for a 2.30 goals against average. The Huskies are coming off their first loss of the season on Sunday when they fell at No. 21 New Hampshire in double overtime, 3-2.
Old Dominion holds a 9-1 lead on Hofstra in the all-time series. The only win for the Pride came back in 2009 in Norfolk, 6-5. Last season, ODU blanked the Pride in Norfolk, 5-0. In the all-time series with Northeastern, ODU leads, 21-2-1. The last win for the Huskies in the series came in 1998. Last season, ODU defeated NU in Norfolk, 6-2, in the regular and in the CAA title game in Norfolk, 5-1.
Live stats will be available for both contests. Follow Old Dominion Field Hockey on Twitter at twitter.com/ODUFieldHockey and find them on Facebook at facebook.com/ODUFH.