Old Dominion women’s soccer secured a pivotal victory in the conference on Thursday evening against the University of Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks, who now stand at 7-4 this season. The 1-0 outcome, attributed to an own goal, advances the Lady Monarchs to a 6-3-1 record and positions them as leaders in the Sun Belt East Division standings.
In a defensive-oriented contest, ODU experienced a sluggish start on offense in the first half. The Warhawks capitalized on the Monarchs’ slow start by making several advances into the box. However, the defensive efforts led by sophomore defender Ashlynn Kulha and the backline successfully prevented any of these advances from turning into shots on goal. Nonetheless, it became apparent that if the defensive and possession challenges persisted, the team was at risk of conceding.
In light of these considerations, it was evident that ODU head coach Angie Hind and the team emerged from the locker room in the second half having implemented substantial adjustments. ODU’s midfield and attack demonstrated commendable performance in the initial minutes by effectively maintaining possession of the ball within ULM’s defensive third.
During this possession, ODU’s senior forward Yuliia Khrystiuk attempted a 25-yard shot that struck the crossbar and rebounded to a ULM defender, nullifying the scoring opportunity.
In the 63rd minute, Khrystiuk’s persistence and swift play led to a pivotal moment for the team. After penetrating the opposition’s defense and making a decisive pass, Khrystiuk gained possession and swiftly directed the ball parallel to the goal line. Despite the challenging angle, Khrystiuk took a shot that appeared to veer wide, yet an unintended deflection by a ULM defender resulted in an own goal, granting the Monarchs a crucial advantage.
The Monarchs maintained a 1-0 lead for the remaining 27 minutes of play, effectively preventing the Warhawks from gaining possession. In the 73rd minute, Riley Mullin had an opportunity to extend the lead to 2-0, but her shot was saved by the opposing team’s goalkeeper. ODU secured a vital three points in their conference play at the end horn.
After a hard-fought match that showcased both teams’ determination, Hind reflected on her squad’s performance.
“I thought we were good in the first half, they were good, it was quite even. Second half we changed a little bit and thought we had a good burst of energy and pushed hard and got the goal I thought we deserved. To continue the game and keep the clean sheet is something that we are really proud of as we were put under a lot of pressure at the end,” Hind stated.
ODU women’s soccer anticipates another challenging fixture as they prepare to face James Madison in a postseason overtime rematch in Harrisonburg, VA on Sunday, September 29th. Kick-off is scheduled for
