Oct. 13, 2009

NORFOLK, Va. - The Old Dominion field hockey team is ranked No. 20 in the latest National Field Hockey Coaches Association Poll, released Tuesday. The Lady Monarchs are one of four Colonial Athletic Association teams to be ranked.

ODU received 88 total points to edge conference foe Northeastern for the final spot in the poll. The Lady Monarchs topped the Huskies 3-1 in Boston on September 25. Other CAA schools joining ODU in the rankings are James Madison (11), Drexel (12) and Delaware (17). Hofstra joins Northeastern as CAA teams receiving votes.

The Lady Monarchs (6-8, 2-3) dropped a pair of conference games this past weekend, falling to both Drexel and Hofstra by only one goal a piece. Junior Loran Hatch (Green Lane, Pa.) tallied six points in the two games on two goals and two assists. Sophomore Kathryn Kirk (Lititz, Pa.) also scored a pair of goals, both coming against the Pride.

Old Dominion will step out of conference this weekend to take on two Top 15 Atlantic Coast Conference teams. The Lady Monarchs will travel to No. 1 Maryland on Friday for a 4 p.m. game, before returning home to face No. 15 Duke on Sunday at the Powhatan Sports Complex. ODU fell to Maryland 6-3 and topped Duke 3-2 in overtime in contests earlier this season.

The game against the Blue Devils, which starts at 1 p.m., will be ODU's annual "Think Pink" game. There will be a post-game auction of uniforms to support the Tidewater affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

-ODU-