NORFOLK, Va. – The 17th-ranked Old Dominion field hockey team (2-4) looks to open up a winning streak as it takes on two strong CAA opponents this weekend. The Lady Monarchs travel to William & Mary on Friday at 5:30 p.m. and play host to Delaware on Sunday for a 1:00 p.m. contest.
Weekend Rewind
Last Friday, the No. 17 Lady Monarchs fell victim to No. 4 Duke, but showed signs of improvement in the 1-0 loss. The team carried over the momentum against Monmouth and recorded their first shut out (3-0) of the season against the Hawks. Senior forward Rosario Villagra paced the offense with one goal and two assists to total four points on the day. Juniors Tiesha King and Sarah Breen tallied the other two goals, while Nicole Goff and Kelsey Smither dished out an assist apiece.
Megan Hept played all 140 minutes in goal for the Lady Monarchs, recording a 0.5 goals-against average and two saves over the weekend. She helped the defense hold Duke to four shots, well below its average of 17.6 shots per game, while Monmouth was held to just two shots the entire game. She picked up her first shutout of the year with a 3-0 win over the Hawks.
Series Record vs. William and Mary
Old Dominion currently holds a 44-12 lead in the all-time series with William and Mary. The series dates back to 1974 where the Tribe defeated the Lady Monarchs, 12-1. Last season, the Lady Monarchs defeated the Tribe, 4-0, and are currently on a 10-game winning streak in the series.
Scouting the Tribe
William & Mary enters the game with a 1-5 overall record so far this fall. The Tribe’s only win was against Central Michigan at the Wolverine Classic, where they defeated the Chippewas 2-1. W&M has played three ranked opponents, with its highest-ranking opponent being UVA at No. 6. Of those three ranked teams, the Tribe has lost all three and has been outscored, 15-3.
Last weekend, William & Mary took on Rutgers and No. 11 Louisville. Against Rutgers, the team erased a 2-0 first-half deficit and tied the game in the 28th minute, but awarded Rutgers a penalty stroke that would eventually be the game winner late in the first half. William and Mary fell to 11th-ranked Louisville, 4-3, in overtime on Sunday. The team twice led the Cardinals, but could not hang on for the win.
Pippin Saunders leads the team with five points on two goals and one assist. Peyton Smith is not far behind, recording two goals to total four points on the year. Meredith Savage has played in goal for the Tribe and has recorded 30 saves and a 3.41 goals-against average.
Series Record vs. Delaware
The Lady Monarchs hold an 11-2-1 advantage in the series with Delaware that dates back to 1981. In the first ever meeting between the two programs, the game ended in a 1-1 tie. Old Dominion is on four-game winning streak against the Blue Hens.
Scouting the Blue Hens
The Blue Hens enter the weekend with a 3-4 overall record after falling to No. 16 Temple and Cornell last weekend. Temple went up 4-0 over Delaware within the first 11 minutes of play before taking a 5-0 lead at the halftime break. Junior Jacki Coveleski broke the scoreless streak in the 63rd minute off a rebound shot for her third goal of the season. The Blue Hens dropped their third-straight game of the season, falling to Cornell 4-2 on Sunday. Junior Allie Mikelson tallied three defensive saves on the day to tie the school record. The mark is also good to tie for seventh in NCAA single-game history.
Michaela Patzner leads the Blue Hens’ offense with 11 points off of four goals and three assists. Coveleski has totaled eight points on three goals and two assists, while Esmee Peet and Meghan Winesett are tied third on the team with five points. Emmeline Oltmans has played the majority of time in the cage for the Blue Hens, recording 27 saves and a 3.16 goals-against average.
Player of the Week Honor Roll
Junior Megan Hept and senior Rosario Villagra were both named to the BIG East Player of the Week Honor for their efforts this past weekend. Hept held No. 4 Duke to just one goal in a 1-0 setback before shutting out Monmouth, 3-0, on Sunday. Villagra helped the Lady Monarchs to the win over Monmouth, as she had a hand in all three goals. She scored the first goal of the match and assisted the last two.
Corner Defense
The Old Dominion defense has been nothing but impressive when it comes to defending penalty corners. This season ODU’s opponents have been awarded 15 corners, but have only scored two times off the initial shot. No. 6 Penn State and No. 4 Duke were the only teams to score off a corner. Megan Hept has made eight saves on corner attempts, while five shots have been blocked or were sent wide of the cage.
ODU Countdown
10 – Opponents on Old Dominion’s 2014 slate ranked in the latest Penn Monto/NFHCA Coaches Poll.
9 – Megan Byas ranks ninth on the BIG EAST list for shots per game.
8 – Different players who have registered a point so far in 2014, led by senior forward Katy Fuhrman with six points.
7 – Number of assists the Lady Monarchs have recorded over their six games.
6 – Megan Hept’s ranking on the BIG EAST list for saves per game.
5 – Players have notched one goal this season: Rosario Villagra, Kelsey Smither, Sarah Breen, Victoria Rezette and Tiesha King.
4 – Different players who have dished out an assist this season.
3 – Villagra leads the team with three assists on the season.
2 – Catalina Barahona made her first two career starts this past weekend.
1 – Shutouts posted by the Old Dominion defense so far this fall. The one shutout came against Monmouth (3-0) last Sunday afternoon.
Penn Monto/NFHCA Coaches Poll
The Lady Monarchs are currently ranked No. 19 in the latest Penn Monto/NFHCA Coaches Poll.ODU is 2-4 on the season, with all four of its losses coming to ranked opponents.
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