MATCH #13
WHO: ODU (9-1-2, 4-1-0) vs. James Madison (6-2-5, 3-0-2)
WHERE: ODU Soccer Stadium – Norfolk, Va.
WHEN: 6 p.m. - Sunday
SERIES RECORD: JMU leads 16-7-1
LAST MATCHUP: Nov. 6, 2022 – ODU 4, JMU 3 (2OT)
STREAM: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: here
NORFOLK, Va. – The Old Dominion women's soccer team returns home for a TowneBank Royal Rivalry series matchup Sunday night as they host James Madison at 6 p.m.
Old Dominion with a 4-1 league mark leads the Sun Belt East Division with 12 points, while James Madison has 11 going 3-0-2 thus far.
ODU (9-1-2, 4-1-0) returns to the home pitch after a 2-1 win at Marshall on Thursday night. Ece Turkoglu put ODU on the board with 13 minutes left in the first half off a set piece and feed from Andrea Balcazar Algarin. Anna Tørsløv gave ODU the lead with 6:50 remaining with a blast from outside 18-yard box off a pass from Gry Boe Thrysoe.
James Madison (6-2-5, 3-0-2) behind a second half goal from Alba Fernández Almagro in the 51st minute and ULM played to a 1-1 draw on Thursday night.
This marks the second year of the TowneBank Royal Rivalry series between ODU and JMU, which amplifies school pride between the two universities and rekindles a decade old rivalry steeped in tradition across all shared sports programs.
TowneBank is a longstanding supporter of college athletics, and they are excited to cheer along the healthy competition between Old Dominion University and James Madison University. TowneBank is fortunate to have a strong alumni base on both sides of the rivalry and looks forward to seeing who will hoist the crown for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Old Dominion defeated James Madison 4-3 in double overtime to win the 2022 Sun Belt Conference championship on November 6, 2022. Carla Morich had a hat trick, capped by the game-winner in the 106th minute en route to Tournament MVP honors. That win snapped a five-match winning streak for JMU in the series as the Dukes lead 16-7-1. JMU won the regular season meeting 1-0 last year in Harrisonburg.
ABOUT ODU
Through 12 matches, the Monarchs have scored 21 goals with a total of 10 Monarchs have tallied goals thus far. Turkoglu leads with five goals and one assist for 11 points, while Tørsløv has three goals and one assist for seven points. Megan Watts and Thalia Morisi have three goals each for six points.
Watts' penalty kick goal against Southern Miss gave her 18 for her career and puts her tied for ninth on the all-time ODU goals scored list.
Emily Bredek leads the Sun Belt in shutouts and is ninth nationally with seven, while she also leads the league and fifth nationally in goals against average with .279. Her seven shutouts puts Bredek tied for third on the single season list with Tonya Dedmond from 1999.
The nine wins matches last season's total as ODU went 9-9-3 en route to the 2022 Sun Belt Conference Tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance.
The 21 goals scored so far this season is one off of last year's total of 22.
ABOUT JMU
Suwaibatu Mohammed and Amanda Attanasi share the team lead in goals scored with five. Mohammed also shares the team lead in assists with Shea Collins also with five each. Collins has added three goals, while Fernandez Almagro and Ellie Johnson have two each.
Alexandra Blom leads JMU in goal with a .755 save percentage, a 0.98 goals against average and four shutouts.
The Dukes have not lost in seven straight matches going 4-0-3 in that stretch.
NEXT UP
ODU will be back in action on Friday, Oct. 13 when they host App State at 6 p.m. at the ODU Soccer Stadium
Women's Soccer Hosts JMU In Sun Belt Conference East Division Match Sunday Night
