Oct. 11, 2012
WEEKEND RUNDOWN
Friday, Oct. 12 - 5:00 p.m.
#8 Old Dominion (10-3) vs. #6 Maryland (9-3)
Sunday, Oct. 14 - 1:00 p.m.
#8 Old Dominion vs. Duke
L.R. Hill Sports Complex - Norfolk, Va.
Friday Live Stats: Gametracker
Sunday Live Stats: Gametracker
Friday Live Video: ODUSports.com (subscription required)
- MONARCH MEDIA Game of the Week with Ted Alexander (play-by-play)
Sunday Live Video: ODUSports.com (subscirption required)
NORFOLK, Va. – The eighth-ranked Old Dominion University field hockey team wraps up their six-game homestand this weekend as they face the two-time defending national champions No. 6 Maryland on Friday at 5 p.m. and then takes on Duke on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the L.R. Hill Sports Complex.
LAST TIME OUT
Old Dominion routed Towson on Friday night, 11-0. Freshman Sarah Breen scored five goals and had an assist while sophomore Rosario Villagra added two goals and three assists to power the ODU offense. It was the largest margin of victory for the Lady Monarchs since they blanked Towson, 11-0, in 2003. It was the first shutout of the season for ODU and redshirt senior Marla Petriello.
On Sunday in the battle of undefeated CAA teams, the Lady Monarchs won their seventh consecutive game when they doubled up No. 18 Drexel, 4-2. Senior Kimberly Oakes scored two goals while redshirt junior co-captain Christy Longacre added a goal and an assist to power Old Dominion to the win.
LONGACRE AND BREEN SWEEP CAA WEEKLY HONORS
On Tuesday, Longacre was named the CAA Player of the Week while Breen was named the CAA Rookie of the Week for the third time this season.
Longacre tallied two goals and four assists over the weekend as ODU moved to 5-0 in league play and won their seventh consecutive game. On Friday, she scored on a penalty corner and assisted on three other Lady Monarch goals in Old Dominion's 11-0 win over Towson. On Sunday against No. 18 Drexel, Longacre scored ODU's third goal off a penalty corner in the 22nd minute. She also assisted Kimberly Oakes' second goal of the game just before half as the Lady Monarchs doubled up the Dragons, 4-2.
Breen tallied five goals and an assist on Friday in ODU's 11-0 win over Towson. The five goals scored in a single game are the most of any CAA player this season, with three of her five goals coming off penalty corners against the Tigers. Breen now leads the league in conference games in shots (22), points (18), goals (6), and assists (6). She also leads the Lady Monarchs with 10 goals and 27 points on the season.
RANKED LADY MONARCHS
ODU is ranked eighth in the latest Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll. The Lady Monarchs have been ranked in the top-10 for 17 consecutive weeks dating back to last season.
SPREADING THE WEALTH
The Lady Monarchs have spread the wealth this season on the offensive end as 11 different players have scored a goal. Breen leads the team with 10 goals while Longacre and Villagra have added eight each. Sophomore Kelsey Smither is tied with Breen and Villagra for seven assists each to lead the team. In goal, Petriello has allowed just 12 goals since she became the starter in the fifth game of the season for a 1.44 goals against average and has collected 27 saves while going 8-1 over that span.
SCOUTING THE TERPS
No. 6 Maryland (9-3) is coming off a 2-0 shutout at home over Duke after falling midweek at No. 4 Princeton, 3-2. Junior Jill Whitmer leads the team in points with 22 (7 goals, 8 assists) and sophomore Katie Gerzabek isnt’ far behind with eight goals and three assists of her own. In goal, junior Natalie Hunter has started all 12 games and boasts a goals against average of 1.66 with 32 saves and 16 goals against her.
Old Dominion trails narrowly in the all-time series with Maryland, 24-23-1. Earlier this season, the Lady Monarchs won their third consecutive regular season game over the top-ranked Terps with a 2-1 win in College Park. Breen put the ball in early off a penalty corner and Oakes scored midway through the first half from co-captain Kati Nearhouse as ODU held on late to win.
BLUE DEVILS REPORT
Duke (5-8) fell out of the top-25 for the first time this season on Tuesday after falling at No. 5 Maryland last weekend, 2-0. They play at James Madison on Friday night. The Blue Devils are 0-4 in ACC action. Junior Emmie Le Marchland leads the team with nine goals and four assists and 22 points while redshirt junior Devon Gagilardi had added six goals and four assists for Duke. Splitting time in goal, sophomore Lauren Blazing has a goals against average of 2.14 with 26 saves and 17 goals against while junior Ashley Camano has 18 goals against, 22 saves and a goals against average of 3.31.
The Lady Monarchs are 23-13 all-time against the Blue Devils after their win in Durham earlier this season. In that game, Celine Marquet and Katy Fuhrman scored their first career goals as ODU built up a 3-0 lead against Duke.
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