NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion University lacrosse defeated Charlotte 15-9 in its American Athletic Conference opener on Saturday afternoon.
Old Dominion (7-3) opened Saturday afternoon with a goal by Brooke Frishman, who recorded her first goal of her collegiate career. At the seven-minute mark, Sarah Murrell found the back of the net, and Katie Pfieler followed suit four minutes later. To close out the first quarter, Alex Kulinski and Callie Culhane both scored, giving the Monarchs a strong 6-0 start.
Kulinski grabbed her second goal of the game just two minutes into the second quarter, though Ella Suglia put Charlotte (5-5) on the board from a free-position shot. Ella Bowen responded with her own goal on a free-position shot, and Eleni Yates put ODU up 8-1 to close out the first half with her first goal of the game.
Sydney Taylor recorded her 100th career point with a goal at the beginning of the third quarter. Bowen found the back of the net for the second time under a minute later, however, 49ers Brooke Alessandrini and Isa Torres both recorded goals as the quarter drew past its halfway point. Murrell grabbed her second goal of the game with under six minutes left and Kulinski closed out the third quarter with a hat trick, expanding the Monarch’s lead to 12-3.
Charlotte came out blazing in the fourth quarter with goals from Avery Olsen and Alessandrini within just a minute of each other. Culhane was able to respond for ODU with a goal at the nine-minute mark, and while Alessandrini recorded a hat trick just two minutes later in the fourth. Bowen nagged ODU’s second hat trick of the game a minute later and Charlotte’s Alessandrini scored for a fourth time.Aly Prasinos following suit to bring the score to 14-8 with under four minutes to play. Julia Butler and Torres exchanged goals to close out the quarter, with Old Dominion holding on to its lead by a 15-9 final.
Nine different Monarchs scored against the 49ers, with Kulinski and Bowen leading the way with three goals each while Murrell and Culhane followed behind with two. Murrell also led the team in ground balls with seven, while goalie Brynn Bowen accounted for 11 saves on 19 shots.
Old Dominion stays home next week as they host Winthrop on Wednesday, March 19 at 1 p.m. at the L.R. Hill Sports Complex.