NORFOLK, Va. – The Old Dominion women’s soccer team continued its undefeated spring with a 4-0 victory over East Carolina at the ODU Soccer Complex. The Lady Monarchs are now a perfect 3-0 in spring ball so far this season.
The first half was an exciting one, with plenty of end-to-end soccer. East Carolina was the brighter of the two teams in the opening minutes. A run down the left wing was followed by a low driven Pirates’ cross, but Lady Monarch’s goalkeeper Erin Davidson started her day with an excellent gather down low. ECU continued their early pressure as ODU failed to clear, but Davidson made a solid stop with a low save at her near post. ODU then began to raise their game to match their opponents.
Following some nice pressing from Thyla Peterson, Iris Achterhof was able to turn at the edge of the area but narrowly missed target. The deadlock was broken soon after as Kathryn Hill made a surging run from midfield in the 12th minute. A Kira Laurento through pass found Hill behind the Lady Pirates backline and Hill put the ball off the post and into the ECU net.
East Carolina attempted to quickly reply, winning the ball in transition and delivering consecutive crosses into the Lady Monarch’s penalty box, however, Davidson was able to punch away the danger on both occasions. Following a good run and a lucky break of the ball, Davidson was called into action again with a low save at her near post, which she directed wide.
From this point onward, the Lady Monarchs would enjoy their own spell of dominance. Laurento broke the offside trap but was temporarily halted by the on-rushing ECU goalkeeper who had left the net empty. Laurento quickly regained the ball but her pass to Melanie Oakes was too heavy and the Lady Pirates goalkeeper quickly returned to her net.
In the 42nd minute, following a bombardment of corner kicks, it would ODU’s Grace Haverly, who powerfully headed home an out swinging Achterhof delivery to make it 2-0. In the dying stages of the first half, Laurento nearly made it 3-0 as she used great pace and skill to cut in from the left wing, but her low driven shot slid just wide.
While the end-to-end soccer continued into the second half, there was a lack of clear chances in the opening minutes. The relative calm was broken in the 57th minute as Erin Davidson made another great stop, pushing over a powerful strike from the Lady Pirates forward. The Lady Monarch’s quickly countered as Oakes cut inside from the left wing to unleash a right footed strike that rebounded against the crossbar.
ODU extended its lead in the 60th minute through Achterhof, as the Lady Pirates attempted to build from the back, Achterhof’s hard work was rewarded as she chased down back pass to the ECU goalkeeper, in which Achetrhof slid the ball into an ECU empty net.
Not to be deterred, a resilient East Carolina kept attacking. Davidson kept the Lady Pirates out again, catching a curling effort that threatened to creep in at her far post. However, moments later, the ODU GK found herself well beaten as an ECU forward turned quickly at the edge of the area and fired a shot that swerved inches wide of the goal. Following these defensive scares, the Lady Monarch’s put the result beyond doubt as Deirdre Bradley made it 4-0, as ECU failed to clear an Achterhof freekick, Laurento picked up the ball at the edge of the area and managed to find Bradley free in the area, who slotted the ball into the corner of the East Carolina net.
The result marked an excellent team performance. While East Carolina created many chances, the Old Dominion backline coped well with what was thrown at them. Another aspect that will be pleasing for the Lady Monarch's was the number of chances they created and the clinical finishing that was displayed.
Old Dominion will be back in action next Saturday, April 9th at Longwood University.
2016 LADY SOCCER MONARCHS SPRING SCHEDULE
Friday, March 4: at VMI – ODU defeats VMI, 2-0
Saturday, March 19: at Richmond – ODU defeats Richmond, 1-0
Saturday, April 2: vs. ECU – ODU defeats ECU, 4-0
Saturday, April 9: at Longwood (2:00 p.m.)
Saturday, April 16: ALUMNI GAME/BRUNCH (12:00 p.m.)
Saturday, April 23: at VCU (2:00 p.m.)
BOLD indicates home events
*All times EST
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