Sept. 18, 2005

DURHAM, N.C. -- The Old Dominion field hockey team rebounded from Saturday's loss to No. 3 North Carolina by handing the fourth-ranked Duke Blue Devils a 5-2 loss on their home turf.

The win improves the ninth-ranked Lady Monarchs to 4-4 overall and gives them their second victory over a Top 10 opponent this season. Throughout the first eight games of the season, Old Dominion has already faced five ranked foes. The loss, Duke's first to ODU in the last six games, drops the Blue Devils to 5-2.

Five different Lady Monarchs scored in the victory as Old Dominion took a season-high 31 shots. Meanwhile, Duke fired off 19 shots. The Lady Monarchs also held an edge in penalty corners, 10-6.

Old Dominion struck early and never relinquished the lead. By halftime, the Lady Monarchs owned a 3-0 lead. Sophomore Shannon Mobley (Va. Beach, Va.), making her first start of the season, opened scoring at the 6:52 mark, followed nearly a minute and half later by rookie Denise Admiraal (Heiloo, Holland) with her sixth goal of the year at the 8:30 mark. Senior Rosanna Delutis (Va. Beach, Va.) rounded out the scoring in the half at the 28:53 mark. Both Delutis' and Mobley's goals were their first of the season.

Duke and Old Dominion traded goals in the second half. While the Lady Monarchs struck first in half number two on a penalty corner goal by senior Janelle Engle (Mt. Joy, Pa.), the Blue Devils thwarted the shutout nearly a minute later on a tally by Marcy Burns. Three minutes later, Old Dominion attacked again, this time junior Dana Sensenig (Denver, Pa.) reaching the back of the Blue Devil net for her sixth net of the year. Duke finished up the day's scoring with Marian Dickinson collecting her team's second and final goal at the 55:11 mark.

Senior goalkeeper Mary Cate Gordon (Oreland, Pa.) posted a season-high nine saves in the victory. Duke's Christy Morgan made 14 in the loss.

The Lady Monarchs have one more road game left before returning to Foreman Field. Old Dominion will travel to Richmond on Saturday, September 24th before returning home to open up the CAA portion of their schedule hosting Drexel on Sunday, September 25th.