• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Sept. 27, 2007

Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

NORFOLK, Va. -- The Lady Monarchs will open the Colonial Athletic Association season with a pair against the University of Delaware and Drexel University. Friday night kick-off against the Blue Hens is set for 7:00 pm while the Lady Monarchs return to the field Sunday afternoon at 1:00 pm.

A Weekend at Home
After a three-game swing on the road, the Lady Monarchs return to the Old Dominion Soccer Stadium with hopes of maintaining a modest four game unbeaten streak. It's the conference opener as ODU will have a yin-yang type weekend.They play a Delaware team they've never defeated and a Drexel program they've never lost to.

ODU is 0-6-1 against the Delaware Blue Hens and 5-0-0 against the Dragons of Drexel University.

In The Polls
Old Dominion was picked to finish third in the Colonial Athletic Association Pre-Season Coaches Poll. The team is also ranked 11th in the SOCCER BUZZ Magazine Mid-Atlantic Region Top 15. Delaware is receiving votes.

Nationally Ranked
Janna Pearson is ranked 12th in the nation in assists per game at 0.83. Shavon Knight is currently tied for 31st in the nation in goals per game.

The team has the 33rd ranked scoring attack in the nation and boasts the 48th best team save percentage at .853.

Last Time Out
ODU played in just one game last week, as they traveled to Fairleigh Dickinson University. The FDU team the Monarchs defeated 8-0 a year ago played like they had a chip on their shoulder and battled all game. ODU would eventually win 2-1 on Janna Pearson's 75th minute goal. Pearson also assisted on the first goal for her league-high 5th assist on the year. The Monarchs are riding a four-game unbeaten streak as they enter conference play this weekend against Delaware and Drexel. The win improved ODU's record to 4-1-1.

Passin' Pearson
Junior forward Janna Pearson has been stellar passing the ball early this season as she has a league-high 5 assists in six games. She ranks 12th in the nation in assists per game (0.83) while leading the Colonial in that category. She has nine points already, just four off her career high.

Climbin' The Charts
Junior Shavon Knight is already among the programs historically best scorers and continues to climb. With her five goals already this season, she is now in the top five all-time with 23.

Her 53 career points has trampolined her into sole possession of fifth all-time behind Jen Henley (109), Beeman (86), Melanie McGovern (74) and Jennifer Gillespie (63). She is also tied for 9th all-time in assists with nine.

Fellow junior Janna Pearson also is among the top ten in points (36), goals (12) and assists (12). Also among the leaders is senior Lisa McKenzie with 39 points, 14 goals, and 11 assists.