6 minute read
ODU Field Hockey Reigns Through 2021 Season
five. Another tough road test laid ahead, as the Monarchs had to travel down to Durham, N.C. to play the 22nd ranked Duke Blue Devils. ODU was not able to keep up with Duke and lost the contest 5-1.
In their next matchup, they went on the road to play Providence and won 2-1. ODU met Virginia again at home, falling behind early and coming back in the second half. Two goals were placed to defeat the Cavaliers 2-1. With only three games left in the season, the Monarchs’ next two games were at home, winning both matchups. They defeated Temple 2-0 and fell behind against William & Mary early on. In the second half, they went on to win over the Tribe 2-1. The regular season finale was another tough road test against the 8th ranked Liberty Flames. In the first half, they gave up two goals that made them fall to Liberty 2-1.
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Old Dominion finished the regular season with a 13-4 overall record and 5-2 in the Big East Conference. ODU qualified for the Big East Conference Tournament. This gave them a shot at playing for a championship and earning a NCAA tournament berth. The tournament champion receives the league’s automatic berth into the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship. Head coach Andrew Giffiths expressed his joy for another chance to play the same teams again in the postseason. “I’m excited to get to the Big East Championship and get another shot at these teams,” Griffiths stated. “The best thing about this team is that we have had strong performances from different players each game and so many players have been stepping up to make a difference. We are playing as a real team, and that’s fun to be a part of.”
The Monarchs had a face off with UCONN for the second time this season, and the Huskies were the second seed in the bracket. They had won the last nine consecutive conference tournaments, dating back to 2012. It was a tough and competitive semi-final matchup, as UCONN scored the first goal of the match in the second period. ODU came back with a goal of their own to tie it in the 11 minutes left in the match. UCONN found the back of the cage again and was back in the lead with an intense final two minutes. ODU did not come back for a second time and fell to the Huskies once again. They were eliminated from the Big East tournament.
Although the Monarchs did not earn the automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament, they still had a chance to make the big tournament. The NCAA held its selection show on Nov. 7, where the Monarchs watched to see if they got to play. The tournament field is set with 18 teams, with 10 automatic bids for conference champions. The remaining eight are selected based on the top teams in the country that didn’t win their conference championships. The Monarchs were not selected, and their season ended with a 13-5 record (5-2 Big East). There is a lot to look forward to next season, with a young group of women that are determined to take the next leap and bring back the championship in ways that the program is accustomed to.
It will be another fun season for the Old Dominion Monarchs men’s basketball team as they look to play at a high-level in the C-USA. In the 2020-21 season, Head Coach Jeff Jones led ODU to a 15-8 overall record and a 11-5 record in league play. This earned the Monarchs a number two seed in the C-USA Tournament.
Since the 2013-2014 season when Jones was named the coach of the Monarchs, ODU has been ranked first in the C-USA for road wins in general (54) and in league play (40). They also rank second in total wins (168) in C-USA. Jones has led the Monarchs to a 92-23 winning record when playing home games at Chartway Arena. Jones has 525 career victories as a head coach in the NCAA.
To start the season, the non-conference schedule is very tough for Old Dominion. ODU plays on the road at James Madison, East Carolina, George Mason, William & Mary, and Richmond. The home game against VCU on Dec. 11 will also be a big game for the Monarchs before conference play. All six schools were ODU’s rivals when they were all members of the Colonial Athletic Association. ODU will also play in the Myrtle Beach Invitational in late November, and all games will be televised on the ESPN platform. ODU will face off with Indiana State in the first round. If the Monarchs win, they will likely meet Oklahoma in the second round.
Winning most of those early-season non-conference matchups will be key for ODU to head into the C-USA. According to Head Coach Jeff Jones, he expressed how tough the schedule is and hopes that the players added this offseason will help the Monarchs become a better team.
Coach Jeff Jones has done a good job in recruiting players to ODU. He will also be bringing back several players from last season into this season minus the departure of Malik Curry. Curry had left the Monarchs this past offseason to go to the Mountaineers in West Virginia. When asked about Malik leaving, Jones expressed that although the departure was a tough blow to the team, the new acquisitions will help fill in that hole and is hopeful that this team can surpass last years. “No question, Malik Curry played a big role for us,” Jones said. “But with the new additions and improvements the returning guys have made, not only will we compensate for that loss, but we have a chance to be a significantly better basketball team.” Jones also expressed how if Malik had stayed with ODU, they would be the favorite to win the C-USA, but regardless of the loss, the team this season will be competitive and in the championship hunt.
The Monarchs have brought in some talent from the transfer portal. First off, Charles Smith IV made the transfer to Norfolk from SMU this offseason. Charles made 45% of his three-point shots last season for the Mustangs. He was a four-star recruit out of high school in Atlanta. He chose to come to ODU in search of more playing time. His shooting from long range will be a valuable asset to the Monarchs.
Another transfer that chose to come to ODU is 6-foot-3 C.J. Keyser, who is a senior from North Carolina Central. C.J. played two seasons for Wichita State and then transferred out to play his next two seasons for N.C. Central. Keyser averaged 16.4 points per game last season at N.C. Central to earn first-team All-MEAC honors. He has one season left
