NORFOLK, Va. - Old Dominion women’s soccer drew 1-1 against App State in the first Sun Belt Conference matchup of the 2025 season on Saturday night. Brooke Edwards opened the scoring in the 75th minute but App’s Kyli Switalski scored a free kick in the 86th and the honors were even in the match.
“I think we are all pretty disappointed with the result, but that game is reflective of our conference and how tough it is,” said ODU Head Coach Angie Hind.
ODU’s (4-1-2) Edwards got on the end of a great run of play from Madison Telmer and Riley Mullen. Telmer found Mullen sprinting down the right wing and Mullen outpaced her defender to whip in a cross that found Edwards right in front of goal. A little toe poke from the junior forward was all that was needed to ease the ball past App’s (4-3-1) keeper Anna Claire Jacobi to open the scoring. Eleven minutes later, however, ODU’s Grace Hillis was given a yellow card for a challenge just outside the box and App forward Switalski struck it with her left foot into the right corner of the goal to level the game late. The Monarchs tried to create another scoring opportunity but could not find another goal.
“We scored a great goal through Brooke, scrappy but she puts her body on the line to score for us,” added Hind. “But we know that we have to be much more ruthless in finishing the many chances we are creating - if we put away a few of those early chances then it’s a different game.”
Old Dominion dominated the first half and probably should have found the opening goal earlier in the game. ODU had 10 shots and four corners to App State’s two and zero corners in the opening half. Katie Lutz had a great chance on the right wing in the fifth minute and slotted the ball past App’s goalkeeper but also the far post. She had another chance at goal in the 16th minute, but the attempt was saved by App’s Hanna Skogsfors. Right before that chance, Yuliia Khrystiuk had an attempt at goal saved by Skogsfors. ODU had six more shots, all of them were either off target or blocked by a defender.
App grew more into the match in the second half, but ODU still had an advantage in shots 6-to-4 but the Mountaineers held a slight advantage with two corner kicks to ODU’s one. Koto Davis had a crack at goal in the 51st but it went just off target and Balcazar had a free kick attempt saved by Jacobi’s outstretched fingertips in the 57th. Mullen had an attempt go wide a minute later. Davis had a shot saved by Jacobi in the 64th minute before ODU found the opener from Edwards in the 75th.
“Credit to App as always, they hang in and fight and chase you down and if you give them a chance, they will punish you and that is exactly what they did so I am sure they are pleased to finish the game with that goal,” said Hind.
ODU finished with 16 shots, five on goal, and five corners. Gry Boe Thrysoe, Ashlynn Kulha and Ellie Goodrich all played 90 minutes of action. Lutz, Mullen, and Balcazar all finished with two shots on the night. Freshman forward Davis led the team with three shots.
App ended the night with six shots, three on goal, and two corners. Shannon Studer, Aleesia Ambrosio, and Lucy Harrington all played 90 minutes for the Mountaineers. Izzi Wood led App State with two shots.
ODU goalkeeper Goodrich made two saves on the night in 90 minutes played in her second-straight start. App played two keepers with Skogsfors and Jacobi each logging 45 minutes and both finished the night with two saves.
UP NEXT:
The Monarchs will regroup and gear up to take on in-state rival James Madison in the return of the TowneBanke Royal Rivalry on Thursday, September 18 at 6 p.m. at the ODU Soccer Stadium.