NORFOLK, va. – The Old Dominion University field hockey team hits the road this weekend for a pair of contests against Princeton and Penn, marking thier first away games of the season. The Monarchs will face Princeton on Thursday, September 7 at 11 a.m. at Bedford Field in Princeton, N.J., followed by a match against Penn on Saturday, September 9, also at Bedford Field.
ODU enters the weekend with a 1-1 record, having fallen to VCU 3-2 in overtime before rebounding with a 6-0 victory over William & Mary. The team is looking to build momentum against two challenging opponents. Old Dominion holds a 9-5 series lead over Princeton, with the last meeting occurring on September 23, 2006, resulting in a 3-2 Princeton win.Against Penn, ODU leads the series 1-0, with their last encounter dating back to 1988.
Sophomore Josie painter currently leads the Monarchs in scoring with six points, while Senior Sanci Molkenboer has contributed five goals and three assists. Junior goalkeeper Suus Broers has recorded five saves with a 62.5% save percentage.
Princeton is opening its 2023 season against ODU after finishing 14-6 last season. Midfielder Beth yeager led the Tigers with 16 points in 2022, and goalkeeper Robyn Thompson returns after starting all 20 games, posting a 72.7% save percentage with 56 saves.
Penn also begins its season this weekend, having gone 4-12 last year. Midfielder Julia Ryan and forward Livia Loozen tied for the team lead with six goals each. Goalkeeper Ruby de Frees started all 16 games for the Quakers, totaling 66 saves and a 62.3% save percentage.
Both games will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available through Princeton’s athletics website and StatBroadcast for the Penn matchup. Following the road trip, Old Dominion returns home to host Wagner on September 12 at 5:00 p.m. at L.R.Hill.
