NORFOLK, VA—Old Dominion University junior midfielder Geoffrey Hill (Frisco, TX.) scored with 14 minutes left in the match to give the Monarchs a 1-0 victory over the Huskies of Northeastern Sunday night in the final day of the 39th annual Stihl Soccer Classic. In the other match, No. 13 North Carolina defeated VCU in Richmond, 1-0. The Tar Heels capture the championship of this year’s tournament and VCU takes second.
“ I am really proud of the guys tonight. They gutted out a solid result,” said ODU head coach Alan Dawson. “Northeastern was a very difficult opponent, but I thought we played great in spurts, particularly in the first half. In the second half Northeastern put us under a little more pressure, but we finally got the goal late in the game to help put us over the top. We got a lot of new faces and I think defensively we have gelled a little quicker than the offense, which typically happens. I think we are starting to click and we will get better every practice and hopefully every game.”
With time winding down in the second half of a scoreless battle, Hill got a pass from fellow junior Ryan Condotta (Keller, TX.) and pumped it passed the keeper for the game winner.
The Monarchs outshot Northeastern, 17-9 overall and 7-3 in shots on goals. The Monarchs keeper Alex Tiesenhausen came up with three saves, while Northeastern’s Dylan Faber made six saves.
The All-Tournament squad consisted of: Boyd Okwuonu (MVP), Jonathan Campbell, Rob Lovejoy and Raby George of North Carolina; Kharlton Belmar, Mario Herrera Meraz and Juan Fajardo Ortiz of VCU; Michael Nelson and David Maciscza of ODU and Simon Cox and Frantzdy Pierrot of Northeastern.
The Monarchs return to action next Friday at 7 p.m. when they host South Florida.
NU 0-0=0
ODU 0-1=1
76:24 Geoffrey Hill from Ryan Condotta
Shots: NU (9), ODU (17)
SOG: NU (3), ODU (7)
Corners: NU (4), ODU (8)
Saves: NU-Faber(6), ODU- Tiesenhausen (3)