NORFOLK, Va. – The Old Dominion field hockey team is set to battle the two-time defending NCAA Champion UConn in the BIG EAST semifinal on Friday at 2 p.m. at the L.R. Hill Sports Complex. UConn enters the conference tournament as the second-ranked team in the nation and the No. 1 seed in the tournament, while ODU is seeded fourth.
In the meeting earlier this year between the two squads, Connecticut came away with the victory but Old Dominion became the only team to hold the Huskies to a single goal this year.
The Lady Monarchs enter the BIG EAST semifinals with a 9-9 season record and a 2-3 mark in conference play. ODU split games last weekend, defeating Providence 5-0 on Friday to clinch a berth into the BIG EAST Championship before falling to UNC 5-1 on Sunday.
Old Dominion is led in scoring by All-BIG EAST First Team selection Sarah Breen who has accounted for 23 points on 10 goals and three assists. Danielle Grega has racked up 19 points on the season with 9 goals and one assist. Freshman goalkeeper Kealsie Robles has recorded 52 saves in 17 appearances and has turned in three shutout victories.
Connecticut enters the postseason a perfect 18-0, looking for a third straight BIG EAST Championship along with a third consecutive National Championship. The Huskies have won 32-straight games dating back to the 2014 season, and are outscoring opponents 112-6 with 13 shutouts this season. They are led by BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year Charlotte Veitner and BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year Roisin Upton. Veitner led the league in both goals and assists.
The 2015 BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship will be held at the L.R. Hill Sports Complex on the campus of Old Dominion with the semifinals on Nov. 6 and the title game on Nov. 8. Tickets can be purchased on-site or online at www.ynottix.com. All three games will be broadcast on the BIG EAST Digital Network via the FOX Sports GO app.