NORFOLK, Va. – The 12th-ranked Old Dominion field hockey team is back on the road for its first overnight trip since Sept. 18-20, as the team heads to Villanova and No. 15 Delaware this weekend. The Lady Monarchs will face off with the Wildcats on Friday at 4:00 p.m. and the Blue Hens on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
Old Dominion enters the weekend after suffering three-consecutive 1-0 losses to hold an 8-6 overall record and a 1-2 mark in BIG EAST play. The last time the Lady Monarchs were shutout three times in a row was in 1976 when the team dropped five straight shutout losses to Westhampton (0-1), Longwood (0-7), Bridgewater (0-1), VCU (0-1) and William & Mary (0-7).
Villanova (4-10, 1-2 BIG EAST) is coming off a 2-1 overtime loss to Georgetown last weekend. The first half was a back and forth scoreless battle until there was under a minute left on the board. Georgetown’s Aliyah Graves-Brown was able to break away down the field and score giving the Hoyas a 1-0 lead going into halftime. Villanova came back to tie things up late in the second half with 7:30 left in regulation on a shot taken by senior Heather Smillie. The score remained 1-1 and headed into overtime. Just over five minutes into overtime Graves-Brown was able to knock the ball into the cage to earn the win for the Hoyas. Villanova outshot the Hoyas 19-5 while also taking 20 penalty corners to Georgetown’s one.
Francesca Bello leads the Wildcats’ offense with 21 points on eight goals and five assists, while Kristen Mericle has notched 16 points on five goals and six helpers. She has also recorded a team-leading 58 shots and two game-winning goals. Taylor Kidwell is the defensive leader in the field and has recorded a BIG EAST high four defensive saves. Miller is the starting keeper for Villanova as has tallied 80 saves and a 2.39 goals-against average in 965:57 minutes of action.
Delaware, despite falling to No. 5 UVA 3-2 in overtime on Sunday, held on to No. 15 in the most recent NFHCA poll. The Blue Hens enter the weekend with an 11-4 overall record and hold a 2-1 mark in the CAA. Delaware led the Cavaliers 2-1 with 11 minutes left to play, but UVA scored the equalizer five minutes later to send the game into overtime. Tara Vittese notched the game-winner off a penalty stroke in the 75th minute to hand the Blue Hens their fourth loss to a ranked opponent this season.
Esmee Peet and Lisa Giezeman lead the team with 22 total points on the year, as both have tallied 10 goals and two assists. Michaela Patzner is just one point behind with 21 with seven goals and seven assists. Emmeline Oltmans is the lone keeper for the Blue Hens and has notched a 2.30 goals-against average and 49 saves to go along with her three solo shutouts. Allie Mikelson (4) and Maura Zarkoski (3) pace the back line, combining for seven defensive saves on the season
ODU vs. Villanova (October 23 – 4:00 PM)
Live Stats
Video
First Meeting: 1993
Last Meeting: 2014
Streak: ODU +5
Last Villanova Win: N/A
Last ODU Win: 2014, 8-0
Series History: ODU leads 5-0
ODU vs. Delaware (October 25 – 1:00 PM)
Live Stats
Video
First Meeting: 1981
Last Meeting: 2014
Streak: ODU +4
Last UD Win: 2009, 4-0
Last ODU Win: 2014, 2-1 (OT)
Series History: ODU leads 12-2-1