Field Hockey: #8 UVA defeats #22 Old Dominion in OT

The #8 UVA field hockey team (9-3) picked up a 3-2 overtime victory against #22 Old Dominion (6-4) on Sundaycat Turf Field in Charlottesville, Va.

Sophomore midfielder Annie McDonough (Kennett Square, Pa.) scored a goal, the game-winner 1:27 into overtime, as well as setting up UVA’s first goal. McDonough started the game by firing off a shot that was deflected into the goal by freshman striker Laura Janssen (Nimegen, Netherlands) in the first minute and a half of the contest to stake UVA to a 1-0 lead.

Old Dominion tied things up by scoring off a corner with 2:17 remaining in the first half. The Monarchs took a 2-1 lead after scoring on their second penalty corner of the game midway through the third period. Senior back Anzel Viljoen (Matamata, New Zealand) tied the game a minute later, deflecting in a shot from freshman Cato Geusgens (Wassenaar, Netherlands) after a UVA penalty corner.

Both teams began the overtime period down a player, having to play five-on-five after each team had someone receive a yellow card late in regulation.

McDonough’s game-winner came after she took a pass from junior striker Makayla Gallen (Glen Mills, Pa.) and gave it a backhand flick into the corner of the net.

“This win feels amazing, especially how we did it,” UVA coach Michele Madison said. “We were five-v-five, both teams a man down. In a couple of minutes, their yellow card was going to expire, so we knew we had to get it done fast. I like how our team handled the tackle on Cato, and then killed it in the counter-attack, with Annie finishing it off. We just moved Annie up in the lines today, playing her as one of the front-four attackers. It obviously worked because she got the first goal, too. After the big disappointment of the Boston College game, it was great to come out and get this win today. To play a good team like Old Dominion twice in a year is tough, but we make each other better.”