NORFOLK, Va. –The Big East Conference announced on Monday afternoon that two members of the Old Dominion field hockey team earned Conference Player of the Week honors, as Rebecca Birch was named the Defensive Player of the Week and Nicole Fredricks was named the Freshman of the Week, as voted on and announced by league officials.
Birch led a Monarchs’ defensive unit that allowed just two goals in three victories this past week, a 3-1 win over William & Mary, a 2-1 win over No. 17 Penn State and a 2-0 win over Virginia Commonwealth.
On the offensive side, Birch registered two goals and two assists, including the game-winning goal against No. 17 Penn State in the 50th minute of action, to total six points on the week.
She has previously earned Big East Player of the Week honors twice before, both of which came a season ago.
Fredericks earned her first weekly honor of her young collegiate career after playing all 180 possible minutes in the Monarchs’ three victories. She was never subbed out of a game, and helped lead a defensive unit that allowed just 13 shots on goal and two goals scored.
ODU has won four-consecutive contests, and the defensive unit led, by both Birch and Fredricks, has held opponents to just two goals in that span.
The Monarchs will return to action on Friday, September 20 at 6:00 p.m. ET, when they travel to Rhode Island to face Providence in their first Big East match of the season.