On Sunday afternoon, ODU women’s soccer displayed comprehensive dominance, securing a 2-0 victory and dealing UNC Wilmington their first-season loss. This home triumph, in particular, marks the initial occasion on which the Lady Monarchs have prevailed over UNCW since 2008 when they emerged victorious with a 3-2 win.
The Lady Monarchs’ defense proved resolute, limiting the opposing Seahawk offense to three shots, none of which were on target. This outstanding performance facilitated a relaxed afternoon for senior Emily Bredek and graduate Erin Jones in goal, with neither goalkeeper needing to make a save.
On the offensive front, the home team faced a tentative start due to midfield errors. However, spirits were lifted in the 39th minute when senior midfielder Gry Boe Thyrsøe expertly converted a free kick from the 25-yard mark with a powerful right-footed strike to the top left corner of the goal. This free-kick goal redeemed an earlier missed opportunity by sophomore forward Makayla Jaffe that propelled ODU to a 1-0 lead, providing momentum going into halftime.
Upon commencing the second half, it became evident that Head Coach Angie Hind had ignited a fire within her team during the halftime break. A trio comprising Thyrsøe, Jaffe, and senior forward Rhea Kijowski created numerous high-quality chances, placing the UNCW goalkeeper under pressure in the early minutes of the half.
The Lady Monarchs (3-1-0) continued their relentless pursuit, converting defensive efforts into offensive opportunities in the 70th minute. A misplaced ball by the Seahawks’ goalkeeper fell to sophomore midfielder Riley Mullin, who skillfully placed the ball into an unguarded goal, securing a 2-0 lead for her team.
Subsequently, the Lady Monarchs persisted in their relentless pursuit, maintaining pressure through the final minutes. ODU dominated with nine shots on goal to none in the second half, compelling the Seahawks (2-1-1) to predominantly focus on defensive play.
During post-game analysis, Coach Hind expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, emphasizing their ball possession and composure.
“Really pleased with the performance first and foremost today. I thought we had a lot of the ball and showed some good composure. UNCW is a difficult team to play against as they have a real threat in attack, but I felt our back line was solid throughout,” said Hind.
Looking ahead, Old Dominion will host SEC opponent LSU, who, like them, participated in last year’s NCAA tournament. The upcoming match is scheduled for Sunday, September 1st at 7 pm at the ODU Soccer Complex.