NORFOLK, Va. – The Old Dominion field hockey team (2-1, 2-0 BIG EAST) authored its most complete performance of the young season on Sunday with a 1-0 win over Temple (1-2, 0-2) to complete a weekend sweep of the visiting Owls. The Monarchs controlled the game throughout to pick up their seventh-straight win in BIG EAST play.
"I was really happy with the way the team played today," head coach Andrew Griffiths said. "Yesterday, we won in the end, but it wasn't our best day. We had great performances from a lot of people. And I thought we really dominated the game."
ODU produced the lone goal of the game right at the end of the first quarter. Delphine Le Jeune uncorked a shot from a penalty corner only to have it blocked by a Temple defender. The ball then caromed to Nicole Fredricks at the back post, and the sophomore buried it for the third goal of her career.
For the game, the Monarchs enjoyed sizeable advantages in total shots, shots on target and penalty corners. ODU tallied 14 shots, landing six on goal, and had nine penalty corners. The Owls mustered only three shots, two on target, and three penalty corners.
Two of Temple's three penalty corners came in the final minute of play with the Owls pushing hard for an equalizer. The Monarchs rose to the occasion during those anxious final moments, preventing TU from landing a shot on target from either penalty corner.
"Physically and mentally, to be able to handle the ups and downs of two games in a row is really different from what we're used to it," Griffiths said. "The great thing is today we made some changes from yesterday, and the team just took them really positively. It led to some massive changes. The flow of the game today was much different from yesterday in our favor. It was exciting to see a team improve one step to another."
After a busy day in goal on Saturday, Cam MacGillivray was called on just twice on Sunday. The redshirt junior made a pair of saves for her seventh-career shutout.
Cristina Carotenuto made four saves for the Owls.
Sunday's result runs ODU's winning streak against Temple to five matches.
The Monarchs close out their long homestand with BIG EAST matches against Villanova on Friday, Feb. 26 and Saturday, Feb. 27.
"We had great performances from a lot of players. I felt we really dominated the game."
— ODU Field Hockey (@ODUFieldHockey) February 21, 2021
Initial reactions from head Coach Andrew Griffiths after ODU's 1-0 win over Temple on Sunday.#ODUSports | #ReignOn | #Monarchs pic.twitter.com/O9ZJYDNEp2
ODU WINS! ??#ODUSports | #ReignOn | #Monarchs pic.twitter.com/fvRXvXJlUI
— ODU Field Hockey (@ODUFieldHockey) February 21, 2021