THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 10, 1995 TAG: 9509100230
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
Defending national champion James Madison edged Old Dominion, 1-0, Saturday afternoon at Foreman Field in a clash of field hockey bluebloods.
The Dukes, ranked No. 1 the nation in the preseason, improved to 3-1, 2-0 in the Colonial Athletic Association. The Lady Monarchs, ranked No. 4, dropped to 1-1, 0-1.
Two-time national scoring leader Carole Thate netted the game's lone goal with 3:12 left to play with a blast just past ODU keeper Kim Decker's glove side.
The goal followed three consecutive corner attempts in which Decker stymied the Dukes with three heart-stopping saves. Thate blasted two shots at Decker, who made 12 saves on the day, only to have the ball cleared. On the third try, Thate sent a lift at the senior keeper, but Decker was up in the box to bat it out of play.
``I think Old Dominion is a great team,'' James Madison coach Christy Morgan said. ``On any day, either team could've won the game.
``I think it came down to somebody taking advantage of an opportunity. Both teams had their chances. Maybe we had a little luck.''
ODU seemed to have its own shot at fortune but couldn't capitalize.
With 36 seconds remaining, the Lady Monarchs picked up a corner but blew the pass and watched as the Dukes took the ball downfield, waiting for time to expire.
ODU, which was outshot, 21-8, played tentatively in the scoreless first half, not even making its way down to JMU's half of the field until after the 19:46 mark, when ODU coach Beth Anders called timeout.
``I told them to calm down,'' Anders said. ``It's going to go in eventually.''
The Lady Monarchs didn't ignite until the second half, when they launched more than half of their shots.
While ODU might have been feeling the jitters of playing against the national champions, four of JMU's players were right at home.
``We're definitely big rivals,'' said Heather Hoehlein, a former Cox standout. ``They're always someone you want to beat. And heart is what's going to beat them.
``I was so excited. It's also nice to see how this area is growing as far as hockey.''
Old Dominion returns to action today at Foreman Field in a 1 p.m. matchup against No. 7 Northeastern.
LADY MARLINS WIN OPENER: All-American Monica Saltarelli beat Catholic University keeper Christine Scafati with 8:57 remaining to lift Virginia Wesleyan to a 1-0 victory over the Cardinals (0-2). Lady Marlins keeper Bobbi Lossee notched eight saves.
Virginia Wesleyan (1-0) will travel to Lynchburg College on Saturday for its Old Dominion Athletic Conference opener. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
BETH BERGMAN/Staff
Old Dominion's Kelly Driscoll, left, hits the deck to stop James
Madison's Kelly Kreiger. The Dukes eged ODU, 1-0, in a battle of CAA
field hockey powers.
by CNB