Aug. 27, 2006

Final Stats

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.  - The Ohio field hockey squad opened the season with a 6-1 loss to No. 4 Old Dominion Sunday as the Bobcats and Monarchs clashed at Penn State's Astroturf Field.

The game was the first of the season for Ohio and the second for Old Dominion.  Old Dominion, who ranked fourth in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) preseason poll, topped No. 7 Penn State on Saturday.

"I am extremely happy with how we played today," Head Coach Neil Macmillan said. "We played extremely tough against them. It was a great team effort."

The Monarchs scored twice in the first half, with goals coming at the 10:17 and 27:22 mark. Both goals were scored by Sami McLenegen. The two goals were the only two of the half and the Monarchs took a 2-0 lead into halftime. Old Dominion put things away midway through the second half, scoring four unanswered goals in less than an eight minute span.

"We did a really good job of regrouping after that and kept it to a minimum," Macmillan said. "It would have been easy for us to give up 10 or 11 goals at that point."

The Bobcats answered the four-goal spurt with a goal of their own, the final tally of the contest. Patty Donahue took a Torrie Albini pass and scored off a breakaway for the first Ohio goal of the season.

Jessie Martin played all 70 minutes in goal for the Bobcats, allowing the six goals and making six saves.

"Jess played great in goal," Macmillan said. "Nikki Gnozzio in defense and Rachelle Coetzee at midfield did a really good job as well. We played our game and played attacking hockey."

The Bobcats will get another shot against a nationally ranked team Monday as they take on No. 7 Penn State at Astroturf Field. The game is slated for a 1:00 p.m. start.