NORFOLK, Va. - ODU field hockey fell to #3 North Carolina 4-1 Sunday afternoon at the L.R. Hill Sports Complex. Sanci Molkenboer scored the lone goal for the Monarchs.
North Carolina (10-1, 3-1 ACC) was first on the board with a goal from Isabel Boere assisted by Reese Anetsberger and Ryleigh Heck off a penalty corner for the Tar Heels in the ninth minute of the first quarter. This was followed by another penalty corner from Dani Mendez which Old Dominion’s (4-7, 2-1 BIG EAST) goalkeeper Suus Broers saved. An ODU offensive penalty corner sent in by Cosima Perleth to Molkenboer resulted in a blocked shot by the Tar Heel defense. Two back-to-back penalty corners by Mendez resulted in a save by the Monarch defense and a save by Broers. A shot by UNC’s Sietske Bruning saved by Broers sent the game into the second quarter.
The Tar Heels opened the quarter with a goal by Kara Heck in the first five minutes after a shot went wide by Mendez. A penalty corner sent by Perleth to Molkenboer was blocked by the Tar Heel defense and resulted in another Monarch corner. This was sent by Perleth once again, stopped by Nicolette Saccomandi, and slotted in by Molkenboer to score the Monarchs’ first goal. Shots by UNC’s Sanne Hak and Charley Bruder were both blocked then saved by Broers to send the game into halftime.
After the break, UNC’s Mendez scored a goal assisted by Heck increasing the ODU deficit to 3-1. Boere attempted to increase the score with a shot off a penalty corner which went wide, followed by another shot and goal by Bruder assisted by Anetsberger to close out the third quarter.
A Monarch penalty corner by Madison Zalewski in the first minute of the fourth corner connected with Molkenboer for a high shot, followed by a save by Broers from a penalty corner shot from Mendez. A wide shot by Boere ended the game 4-1 in favor of the Tar Heels.
“We just have to be better for 60 minutes. We have the ability to compete with the very best teams, and we are doing it for periods of the game, but that’s not enough for our team”. Said Head Coach Andrew Griffiths.
“The players need to be tougher on each other on the field, and demand more from each other. When that happens we will win”. Added Griffiths
The Monarchs ended the match with six shots, one on goal, and five corners. The Tar Heels finished with 16 shots, nine on goal, and seven corners. Goalkeeper Broers recorded five saves, UNC’s keepers Katie Wimmer and Merritt Skubisz recorded none.
UP NEXT:
The Monarchs will travel to Conshohocken, Pa. for another BIG EAST match up against Villanova. The game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start time.