A young ODU women's soccer team opens with an impressive, 2-1, victory over VCU
With 16 freshmen and sophomores, the ODU women are young, but played with poise and passion in a 2-1 victory over VCU.
Rhea Kijowski
By Harry Minium
NORFOLK – Yes, the Old Dominion women’s soccer team has won three consecutive conference championships – two in the Sun Belt and one in Conference USA.
But with 16 freshmen and sophomores on the team’s 24-player roster, and just two weeks of summer practice to prepare, there were questions about how the Monarchs would fare in their opener.
Not to worry. The Monarchs played with poise and passion and defeated a good VCU team, 2-1, Thursday night at the ODU Soccer Stadium.
“This was a really, really good game for us,” Associate Head Coach Michelle Barr said. “That’s a very strong team we played. We’re all very pleased.”
ODU got goals from Rhea Kijowski and Yuliia Khrystiuk and held a 2-0 lead with 20 seconds left when Kanna Matsuhisa drilled a high shot into the corner of the net for VCU’s only goal.
“It was a great goal and she’s their biggest threat,” Barr said. “There was no stopping that goal. Fortunately, there wasn’t enough time” for the Rams to tie the game.
Kijowski, a senior from Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, happened to be at the right place at the right time on ODU’s first goal, which came 20:38 into the first half.
A VCU player tried to clear the ball from in front of the net, but instead of booting it downfield, kicked it into the head of a teammate. The ball then bounced off her head and back toward the goal.
Kijowski was running toward the goal, hoping to pick up a loose ball, when it bounced right in front of her.
She quickly booted the ball past goalie Alison Karpovich, who came out of the net to try and stop the shot but had no chance.
“I had to ask my teammates what happened after the goal,” Kijowski said. “I knew it bounced off someone, but all I saw was the ball in front of me.
“The net looked so big. I thought a little chip is all I needed. I didn’t have to do much.”
Khrystiuk, a redshirt senior from Ukraine, missed last season with a knee injury, and made her presence felt in a big way.
She took a pass from Laura Klebek, a native of Cieszyn, Poland and a transfer from Jacksonville, and from about 25 yards out, drilled a magnificent shot high into the corner of the net at the 78:11 mark.
“Yuliia worked very hard to come back from her injury,” Barr said. “All Yuliia needs is a yard and she can hit the back of the net.
“It’s been a long road back for her and I’m delighted for her.”
All-Sun Belt goalkeeper Emily Bredek had five saves but that doesn’t begin to indicate how well she played.
VCU had nine corner kicks to four for the Monarchs, and Bredek skyed high on three of them to catch the ball before the Rams could do any damage.
“That was a very good opponent,” Barr said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve beaten them at home."
A very long time. ODU had not beaten VCU in Norfolk since 2008.
“It was a very frantic game to say the least," Barr added. "It was very physical.
"And it will help prepare us for the rest of our schedule.”
ODU is on the road for its next two games – Sunday at Liberty and next Friday at William & Mary – before returning home on Sunday, August 25, for a 1 p.m. game against UNC Wilmington.