The mojo is back for Lady Monarchs' field hockey team

NORFOLK

Old Dominion's field hockey team hasn't won a national title in 11 years, a long dry spell considering the Lady Monarchs won nine between 1982 and 2000.

Last season, though, ODU reached the NCAA tournament's Elite Eight, and coach Beth Anders thought the program's mojo was back.

"It takes time to rebuild the winning culture," said Anders, in her 29th season leading the Lady Monarchs. "Over the last three or four years we've worked hard at it. And finally, last year these girls broke through."

This season, the team is breaking through everyone else. It started the season ranked 12th in the country. Now, it's 6-0 and ranked second - after defeating five top-10 teams. Today offers another big test - a match at top-ranked North Carolina.

The success so far is in part the result of Anders' decision to recruit more players who brought veteran talent, but not the desire to stand out.

To find such players, the coaches decided to go abroad.

"This was the next step for our program, to go overseas and get the proper people," Anders said.

Anders had the ideal person for the job in recruiting coordinator Rich Sutton, who is from Birmingham, England, and has played and coached in Europe.

At his alma mater, Sutton found Rebecca Condie, a back who had played for several championship teams in the United Kingdom.

Then, following the advice of his mother, a coach for Wales' National Team, he went after Emma Batten, a forward who had played at one of the United Kingdom's top universities.

"Just watching them play and the way they compete, the way they work as a team, is what we really need here at Old Dominion," Sutton said.

Both Batten and Condie are working toward master's degrees at ODU.

"I knew the history behind Old Dominion and last season they had such a good season and they were building," Batten said. "So there was a lot of potential there."

Batten averages 1.33 goals per game, tied for sixth-best in the nation. Thanks in part to Condie, ODU allows a mere 0.83 goals per game, fourth-best in the nation.

"We're really effective on our press and trying to get the ball and shocking defenses," Condie said.

Fitting the mold the coaches sought, both players also are quick to deflect credit.

They note that the Monarchs have received contributions from a number of sources. Lakeland High graduate Kelsey Smither, a freshman, leads the team with five assists. Maartje van Rijswijk, a junior from Princess Anne High, had an assist in a 2-1 win over then-No. 5 Syracuse last week.

"We weren't here in the spring season," Batten said. "But what we know of the team, they have worked so hard to be the fittest team in the nation and to be the best defensive team. And we can't take any claim for that."

Lydia Velzian, a freshman from New Zealand, scored a goal in the win over Syracuse. And senior Kathryn Kirk, a consistent scoring threat, has taken pressure off Batten.

"When we turn over a ball anywhere on the field, we are so quick to turn that into an attacking opportunity," Batten said. "And I think we're catching teams off guard because we have a lot of pace all over the field."

Despite the early success, Batten said the Monarchs aren't a finished product.

"There are so many areas we can continue to improve on," she said. "Everything really. The fact that we have made it to No. 2 doesn't mean anything until the end of the season."