NORFOLK, Va. – Twenty five hours before Old Dominion hosts Virginia Tech in a highly-anticipated football game, the ODU Women's Soccer Team hosts Virginia Tech in a game in which the Monarchs hope to break their home-game attendance record.
And a three-game losing streak.
ODU (0-3) and Virginia Tech (3-0-1) kick off at 6 p.m. Thursday at the ODU Soccer Complex. Coach Angie Hind said all fans will be admitted free and the goal is to have a crowd of more than 1,000 for the first time in ODU history.
After winning the Conference USA title last season, the Monarchs were tabbed favorites by coaches to win the East Division in the Sun Belt Conference. The Monarchs played well in a 1-0 loss at Auburn and ODU dominated play at William & Mary, and yet lost, 1-0.
They then dropped a 3-0 contest at East Carolina.
Rebounding against the Hokies will be a tall order. Virginia Tech returns many of the stars from last season, when the Hokies defeated Ohio State and then lost to Arkansas in the NCAA Tournament.
ODU dropped a painful, 1-0, loss at Duke last season in the NCAA Tournament in which a controversial foul in the final seconds gave the Blue Devils a free kick.
ODU lost a lot of talent from that team, including Emily Roberts, the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year.
This year's team was supposed to be led by goalie Kasey Perry, a graduate student who was named to the preseason All-Sun Belt team. But she has been battling a back injury and hasn't played.
Erin Jones, a redshirt junior from Caroline County, Virginia, has been playing in her place. Goaltending hasn't been ODU's problem, Hind said.
"Erin has played tremendously well," Hind said.
"Our challenge is we're not healthy right now. We've had a lot of injuries. We've been pulling people from one position and putting them at other positions.
"We've been robbing Peter to pay Paul. We haven't been able to get a consistent lineup."
Hind said her defense has not played well, nor have the Monarchs scored. They've been outshot by just four, 34-30, in three games, but haven't gotten as many quality shots as their opponents.
Carla Morich, a 5-foot-7 senior from Hamburg, Germany, has taken eight shots. She led ODU last season with five goals and six assists. Megan Watts, a 5-5 senior who was ODU's second-leading scorer last season, has taken seven.
Ece Turkoglu, the standout forward from Turkey, has hasn't scored, either. She was an All-Conference USA pick last season known as much for her stellar defensive play as her scoring.
Hind said eventually they will start to put the ball in the net.
Malia Mariano, a key defender from Norfolk's Maury High School, has been hobbled with an injury and has played sparingly.
Other key returnees from last season include defender Yuliia Khrystiuk, Cami Johnstone and Morgan Hall, who were among ODU's top three scorers, and third team All-C-USA pick Gry Boe Thrysøe, a midfielder who buried two of her five shots in the net a year ago.
Riley Kennett, Ryan Parncutt, Reagan Tate, Anessa Arndt, Danae Harper and Emma Terefenko are other returnees who played significant roles for the Monarchs last season.
Two international players, Andrea Balcazar Algarin (Mexico City) and Carolin Fredrich (Berlin, Germany) have played as freshmen, as has 5-5 freshman Jenna Daveler from Lancaster, Pennsylvania and a pair of 5-4 freshman – Thalia Morisi (Massapequa Park, New York) and Madison Micheletti (Islip, New York).
Anna Torslov, a 5-3 senior forward from Copenhagen, Denmark, provides experience up front.
Others coming off the bench include Gabriella Sylstra, Addie Galek, Ava Rice, Indiah Hunter, Chloe Lawler and sophomore goalie Emily Bredek.
Hind in part blames herself for the poor start. "I did the schedule," she said.
Playing the first three games on the road, including a flight to southern Alabama, is a difficult way to start the season.
"We're playing a tough schedule," she said. "And we're kind of feeling it a bit now. We'll be stronger for it, I know we will."
ODU was picked to win the Sun Belt East, she said, based almost entirely on last season. The Monarchs were ranked 51st in the national college soccer RPI, more than 20 places higher than anyone in the Sun Belt.
"The truth is we don't know a lot about our Sun Belt opponents," she said.
"Some of our players are starting to get well. We're getting healthy, but for a player to come back and get on the field is one thing, and develop consistency and confidence in your skills is another.
"Virginia Tech will present a huge challenge. They've got a great program.
"I'm hoping our fans will come out and support us."
Minium: ODU Women's Soccer Team Hopes to Break Attendance Record Thursday Against Virginia Tech
