THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, October 7, 1996 TAG: 9610070148
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BRIAN J. FRENCH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 39 lines
Before Sunday's game at Foreman Field there were two unbeaten teams in Division I field hockey. Now - thanks to Old Dominion - there's only one.
The third-ranked Lady Monarchs shut out No. 8 Connecticut 2-0.
Statistically, ODU (12-1) easily outdistanced their Big East opponents, piling up 18 shots to UConn's two, and forcing nine penalty corners in knocking the Huskies (11-1) from the thinning ranks of the unbeatens. No. 13 Princeton is now the only undefeated major field hockey team in the country.
``We played as hard as we could today,'' Lady Monarchs coach Beth Anders said. ``UConn is a very good team, and we know there aren't any easy games on our schedule.''
ODU scored its first goal on mifielder Danielle Chellew's penalty shot with 2:59 left in the first half after Connecticut back Rose Aspelin slashed Heather Simon in front of the goal.
Midfielder Heather Eastburn provided the Lady Monarchs with their other goal of the day when she backhanded a Chellew pass in front of the goal with 30:25 left and watched the ball trickle past Huskiesgoalkeeper Tricia Betts.
``I just shot the ball towards the goal,'' said Eastburn. ``If one of my teammates got the ball, that's fine. If it scored, that's fine too.''
It nearly became 3-0 when Mimi Smith dribbled the ball through the UConn defense and past Butts, but was stopped just outside the crease by Connecticut back Suzanne Ellis, who scrambled to cover the open cage.
Jamie Hill then preserved the shutout by making a spectacular kick save off a Huskies corner with just over four minutes left.
The Lady Monarchs embark on their most difficult road trip of the season, playing Boston University and Northeastern back-to-back this weekend. Both teams are in the top 10 (Northeastern is seventh, while BU is ranked ninth).
Old Dominion does not return to Foreman Field until Oct. 26, when they play top-ranked North Carolina and No. 4 Virginia in a 24-hour span.
``We feel confident,'' said Eastburn. ``We're playing as a team and if we can keep doing that, we should do well.'' by CNB