By Harry Minium
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Old Dominion women's soccer team was eliminated from the NCAA Tournament Saturday afternoon but can take solace in knowing it ended the season with the best resume in the 30 years since ODU began its women's soccer program.
The Monarchs led, 1-0, most of the game before falling to Georgetown, 2-1, in overtime at in a first-round game in a Shaw Field.
"So far," ODU coach Angie Hind said when asked if this was her best team she's coached and the best team in school history.
Two years ago, the Monarchs won their first conference title ever (Conference USA) and lost at No. 1 Duke, 1-0, in the NCAA Tournament.
Last season the Monarchs won their first Sun Belt title and lost at North Carolina, 5-0, in the NCAA tournament.
ODU (13-3-5) won the Sun Belt again and for much of Saturday's game was dominant. The Monarchs outshot the Hoyas, 10-4, in the first half and could have been up by a goal or two more against the Big East champion.
"We're making progress every year," Hind said. "You can see how good they (the Hoyas) are but you could see how good we are, too.
"It wasn't just character, it wasn't just digging in, that made this a close game, a game we could have won.
"We're a very good team and we showed it."
Georgetown (13-1-7), seeded among the top 12 in the tournament, was on its heels much of the game.
The Monarchs outshot the Hoyas, 7-0, in the first 32 minutes, but failed to find the net.
The Monarchs then weathered a storm, with 10:56 left, when the Hoyas had the first of three consecutive corner kicks. ODU goalie Emily Bredek had two saves, including one shot that she grabbed as it hit the bottom of the goal post.
ODU sophomore Madison Micheletti
ODU finally scored with 5:07 left when Anna Torslov, the graduate student from Copenhagen, Denmark, sent an arching free kick that Ashlynn Kulha headed into the right corner of the net. The pass was so good that it likely would have hit the net without Kulha's help.
Georgetown was dominant in the second half, in which the Hoyas outshot ODU, 12-0. The Hoyas did not score until the 72nd minute, when Brianne Riley headed in the tying goal on a corner kick from Tatum Lanain.
Natalie Means scored for the Hoyas in the 99th minute, just before the end of the first OT period. Kuhla and Turkoglu had scoring chances late but could not cash in.
Bredek was brilliant – she had seven saves -- but so were ODU's defenders, especially Malia Mariano, the graduate student from Norfolk's Maury High, and Kulha, the freshman from Holly Springs, North Carolina. They often blunted Georgetown chances before the Hoyas could get off a shot.
Senior midfielder Ece Turkoglu went down several times with a gimpy knee and with 16 minutes to go in regulation took a blow to the head that forced her to leave briefly. Yet she played brilliantly.
"She took five or six today," Hind said when asked about the blow that knocked her to the turf. "She's just a warrior. Her feet and ankles are black and blue every single game and she never complains.
ODU sophomore Jenna Daveler
"She was the best player on the field today."
Georgetown coach Dave Nolan was effusive in his praise for ODU.
"All credit to Old Dominion," he said. "They were every bit the team we thought they would be.
"We are just happy to be moving on to the next round."
Turkoglu, her face swollen from crying, said "I thought this was a game we deserved to win.
"Georgetown is a top 10 team and we had them going crazy. They didn't know what to do against us.
"Everyone on our team, they all played amazing."
It was the final game for five senior and graduate students, including Turkoglu, Mariana and Torslov and forward Megan Watts and defender Alaina McKnight.
"You can't ask for a better ride than we had the last three seasons," Mariano said. "Three championships, three NCAA Tournaments.
"I hope we make it back next year. I won't be playing, but I will be cheering these girls on every step of the way."
ODU Women's Soccer Team Takes Georgetown into OT before falling, 2-1, in NCAA Tournament
ODU goalie Emily Bredek with one of her seven saves