THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, September 3, 1996 TAG: 9609030153
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 58 lines
Collegiate field hockey's new ``no offsides'' rule was an instant success in Old Dominion University's 7-5 victory over Duke Monday at Foreman field.
``This should have been a great spectator game,'' Monarchs coach Beth Anders said.
In past seasons, players would be called for getting behind the defense before the ball was passed. That's no longer the case in college field hockey.
And if Monday's 12-goal explosion is any indication, it appears the new rule will add scoring punch to a sport where 2-1 games have been the norm.
``It spreads the field out a lot more and you have to stick with the offensive players,'' said first-year coach Liz Tchou, an Olympic team member. ``Before, the defense could move up and get an offsides call when the other team threatened.
``Now it's more wide open.''
And the season opener for both teams proved it.
The Monarchs finished with a 37-13 shooting advantage. The scoring could have been more lopsided had Duke keeper Sarah Doherty not registered 19 saves.
``I think the high-scoring game was good for us, because it kept us on our toes the whole game,'' said ODU's Danielle Chellew, who had three goals in the contest. ``We had to keep fighting.''
Chellew - a midfielder who ranked sixth nationally in scoring last year - got the shootout started on a penalty corner with 33:29 left in the first half.
Mary Jo Reider tied it for Duke seven minutes later, and the seesaw battle was on.
Chellew put the Monarchs back on top shortly after on an assist from Heather Eastburn, only to have Duke tie it again when Melissa Panasci smacked in a reverse back-hand from about 15 yards out six minutes later.
ODU retook the lead two minutes after Panasci tied it when Heather Simon tapped in a loose ball in front of the Blue Devils' box.
But Duke knotted it again on a penalty corner play with 5:38 left in the first half, with Panasci crushing a shot from the ring.
ODU freshman Kim Miller - a Cox High School graduate who finished her prep career as the third leading scorer in national high school field hockey history - gave the Monarchs the lead for good when she slapped in a loose ball with 1:36 left in the first half.
Miller notched her second collegiate goal halfway through the second, tapping in a rebound of her own shot to give the Monarchs a two-goal cushion.
``That goal really felt good,'' Miller said. ``It took a lot of pressure off me.''
Duke's Caroline Helwig re-applied the pressure when she scored just 18 seconds later, closing the gap to 5-4.
But Chellew registered the hat trick 55 seconds later on a penalty corner play to increase ODU's lead to 6-4.
Helwig's second goal again whittled ODU's lead to one with 17:27 to play, but Eastburn's goal at the 14:35 mark put the game away. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by LAWRENCE JACKSON, The Virginian-Pilot
ODU freshman Kim Miller drives the ball downfield in front of Duke's
Mary Jo Reider during the Monarchs' 7-5 win Monday. by CNB