Women’s Soccer Entertain George Mason Thursday Night
MATCH #6
WHO: ODU (3-2-0) vs. George Mason (2-2-2)
WHEN: Sept. 5 – 6 p.m.
WHERE: ODU Soccer Stadium
SERIES RECORD: George Mason leads 15-10-2
LAST MEETING: ODU 3, George Mason 0 – Aug. 17, 2023 – in Fairfax
STREAM: here
LIVE STATS: here
NORFOLK, Va. – The Old Dominion women’s soccer team plays the first of two matches this week when they host George Mason on Thursday, September 5 at 6 p.m. inside the ODU Soccer Stadium.
The game will have live stats and be streamed on ESPN+.
ODU comes into the match after a tough 2-1 loss on Sunday night to LSU. In a match that was delayed by nearly two hours due to rain, the Tigers broke through at 49:36 of the second half for a 1-0 lead. Rhea Kijowski took a touch pass from Riley Mullen and blasted a shot into the back of the net for the equalizer seven minutes later. LSU then broke that tie with a goal with under six minutes remaining.
George Mason comes into the match having won its last two contests against Northern Colorado (2-1) on Friday, Aug. 30 and Maryland (3-2) on Sunday, Sept. 1. Milan Pierre-Jerome scored the game-winner in the 87th minute to finish the upset over the Terrapins. The Patriots had earlier lost to Elon (1-0), tied Campbell (3-3), tied Howard (1-1) and lost to William & Mary (3-0).
ABOUT ODU
Following the win at W&M, Emily Bredek was named Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week. She had nine saves in the two ODU wins against W&M and UNCW. The nine saves against W&M were a career high for her and the clean sheet was her first of the season and 15th of her career.
Bredek and Ashlynn Kulha were named to the preseason All-Sun Belt Conference team, while the Monarchs were picked to finish first by the league coaches. Click here for that release.
Through four matches, Rhea Kijowski leads the Monarchs with two goals. Brooke Edwards, Andrea Balcazar Algarin, Yuliia Khrystiuk, Thrysoe and Mullen have scored one goal apiece for the Monarchs while Laura Klebek, Mullen, Algarin and Kijowski have one assist each. Kijowski has taken 14 shots and nine on goal to lead the team.
In goal, Bredek has recorded 16 saves in five games with a save percentage of .842 and a goals against average of 0.74. Erin Jones has made four saves in two games.
The match with LSU wasn’t the only contest for the Monarchs against the SEC as they’ll visit Auburn on Friday, September 13.
The Monarchs have already defeated a member of the Atlantic 10 with a 2-1 win over VCU in the season opener on Thursday, Aug. 15. That win was the first over the Rams in Norfolk since 2008.
ABOUT GEORGE MASON
Michi Hooks leads the Patriots with two goals and four points. Mia Casciani tops the team in assists with two. In goal, Selamawit Caldart has made 31 saves in six games with a .738 save percentage and a 1.83 goals against average.
The Patriots are led by first-year head coach Aaron Brunner. A native Virginian with almost 25 years of coaching experience, Brunner is coming off a National Championship with Florida State. An assistant coach for the last two seasons, Brunner was part of the Seminoles' staff that was named the 2023 United Soccer Coaches Coaching Staff of the Year.
NEXT UP
The Monarchs will conclude their homestand on Sunday, Sept. 5 when they host Longwood at 6 p.m.