HUNTINGTON, W.VA. - The Old Dominion women’s soccer team shared the points after the Monarchs and Marshall played out a 0-0 draw at the Hoops Family Field on Sunday night.
“This was a game of two halves for us,” said ODU head coach Angie Hind. “We just didn’t start well and possibly could have been a bit braver on the ball in the first half.”
The Monarchs (7-1-4, 3-0-3 SBC) had a scoring opportunity in the second minute of action. Brooke Edwards hounded a Marshall (6-4-2, 2-2-2 SBC) midfielder and won a duel in the middle of the park, she fed Riley Mullen a pass through, and Mullen was one on one with MU’s goalkeeper Emma Durand and had her shot saved by Duran's foot.
Ten minutes later ODU would have its second shot, this time it came from Gry Boe Thrysoe who fired wide of the mark. ODU kept the pressure on in the following minutes and was culminated by Mullen’s second shot of the game, but it was blocked. The Monarchs next opportunity to find the opener came in the 40th minute after Koto Davis and Mia Serna both had shots deflected by Herd defenders. Davis had another crack at the apple four minutes later, but the attempt was off target.
Old Dominion grew into the game and their performance in the second half was sharper. ODU kicked off to start the final stanza, worked the ball around Herd defenders well and Serna found space to take a shot from just outside the box that went off goal to the left. Freshman Ashley Economopoulos had the Monarchs second attempt of the half, but it was off the mark. ODU goalkeeper Ellie Goodrich made her first save of the night in the 54th minute after a Marshall cross fell to Luiza Travassos in the box and fired it towards goal.
ODU’s next shot on goal came in the 65th minute from Gry Boe Thrysoe, she fired a shot towards the far post that may have been targeting Mullen, but the ball was so close that Durand couldn’t risk it and was forced to stretch to make the save. The corner kick that followed was poorly cleared by Marshall, but ODU could not capitalize. The Monarchs last attempt on goal was with three minutes left from Mia Serna. Thrysoe won the ball from the goal kick and found Andrea Balcazar Algarin, and it worked its way to Serna just outside the box. She shimmied and found space to rifle one at goal, but it took a hop right in front of Durand and safely into her hands. Serna had one more chance a minute later after Mullen found her with a cross, but her attempt was blocked. It was ODU’s final shot of the game as it ended 0-0. Old Dominion remains first in the East Division and second in the Sun Belt Conference through six games played.
“Second half we played great and put so much pressure on them but just couldn’t get past their packed defense,” added Hind. “I’m proud of how we responded for sure, but this one is definitely a missed opportunity.”
ODU outshot the Herd 17-4 and had three shots on goal to Marshall's one. The Silver and Blue had four corners to one by the Herd. Serna had the five shots and one on target, Mullen and Thrysoe both had three shots and one on target. Defenders Grace Hillis, Ashlynn Kulha, and defensive midfielder Gry Boe Thrysoe each logged 90 minutes while maintaining the clean sheet. ODU’s Goodrich made one save in 90 minutes and MU’s Durand made three saves in 90 minutes.
“Positives are we remain undefeated and take a point from a place that’s not the easiest to come to,” said Hind.
UP NEXT:
ODU heads out for game two of a three-game road trip and heads south to take on the Georgia Southern Eagles in Statesboro on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 2 p.m.