NORFOLK, Va. -- The No. 11 Old Dominion field hockey team lost to VCU, 3-2, on Sunday afternoon at the L.R. Hill Sports Complex.
VCU (5-3) broke a 2-2 tie in the 58th minute with a penalty-corner goal that deflected in off of an ODU defender for what proved to be the game-winning score.
"I don't think we ever gained the confidence from playing the way we wanted to play," said head coach Andrew Griffiths. "We just weren't taking the game on in the manner that we were used to."
Erin Huffman and Rebecca Birch scored goals for Old Dominion (7-2). Huffman's goal was her team-leading seventh of the season.
The game was tied at the half, 1-1. VCU grabbed the early lead in the 12th minute, before Huffman answered in the 28th.
In the second half, the Rams' Emily McNamara, the nation's leading goal scorer, pushed the Rams back in front in the 37th minute. ODU once again answered, as Birch drove in a penalty corner to even the score in the 55th minute. Just over three minutes later, Litiana Field netted the game-winner for VCU.
Both teams registered nine shots for the game, while ODU had a 7-5 advantage in corners. Individually, Alexandria Brewer had two assists and Marlee McClendon added one assist. Cam MacGillivray made her third start in goal, making three saves over 70 minutes.
"We didn't attack the game with the same enthusiasm and the same urgency and excitement that we have been doing," said Griffiths. "We have to figure out how to turn that around and get that mentality back."
Up next, ODU returns to Big East play with a road match at Georgetown next Friday.
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