Philadelphia - Drexel reeled off 11 straight goals in the first half to pull away from Colonial Athletic Association opponent Old Dominion en route to a 13-7 victory. Prior to the game, eight Drexel seniors were honored in a pre-game ceremony at Vidas Field. The seniors made their mark in their final regular season appearance at Vidas Field as they scored 11 of the Dragons' 13 goals. The win improved Drexel's record to 10-5 (2-3 CAA) while the Lady Monarchs dropped to 4-5 (0-4 CAA).

Old Dominion scored on a free-position shot just 23 seconds into the game but the Drexel defense stiffened immediately following the goal. Jessica Bill (Baldwinsville, N.Y./Baldwinsville) scored the first of her three goals with 27:12 remaining in the period to put Drexel on the board and begin the 11-0 run. Three minutes later, Gwenna Johnson (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) tallied her first of three scores. Fellow senior Nicole Iacono (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown) scored just 87 seconds later after receiving a pass from Katie Bradley (Spring City, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) as Drexel saw its advantage grow to 3-1. Johnson converted her second free-position shot of the game just 28 later before Bradley, Sam Berger (Palmyra, N.J./Holy Cross), Katie Lawson (Sewell, N.J./Washington Township), Nicole Adams (Jackson, N.J./Jackson) and Johnson again scored as Drexel led 11-1. The Drexel defense was tough but the Dragons' offense was spurred especially by pressuring the Lady Monarchs on their clear attempts. Old Dominion converted just two of their 11 clear attempts in the first half as Drexel kept the ball its offensive zone for the majority of the period.

The Dragons also won nine of the 14 draws in the half as the big lead allowed Drexel Head Coach Anna Marie Vesco to go to her bench with a 10-goal lead. With 4:03 to play in the half, Ashley Kellogg halted the Drexel run with a goal on a free-position shot. The Lady Monarchs scored five of their seven goals on free-position attempts.

Drexel continued its offensive attack though Old Dominion goalie Sara Lawson made tough save after tough save after being replaced for a short period in the first half. The Lady Monarchs managed five second-half goals but it was not nearly enough as fifth-year senior Adams capped the game and her home regular-season career at Vidas Field with a goal with just four seconds remaining as Drexel picked up its second straight CAA victory.

For the second straight game, the Drexel offense generated 46 shots. Old Dominion fired 18 on the day. Over the last two games, Drexel has outshot its opponents, 92-35. Drexel won 13 of the game's 22 draws. Lawson made 15 saves in goal for Old Dominion while Lauren LaBella (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) stopped eight shots.

Bradley was a menace at midfield again for Drexel contributing two goals, two assists, two groundballs, three draw controls and a caused turnover. Seven of Drexel's eight seniors registered a point in the game with Maura Cullen (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) the exception though the defender did tie for team-high honors with three groundballs. Bill and Johnson each led Drexel with three goals. Over the past two games the pair has combined for 15 goals.

The Dragons will cap their season with a pair of road conference games as Drexel will face 12th-ranked George Mason on Friday, April 18 at 7:00 p.m. before an April 20 game at James Madison starting at 1:00 p.m.

* * * *

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - The Lady Monarchs (4-5/0-4) dropped to below .500 for the first time in 2007-08 with a 13-7 loss to the Drexel Dragons (10-5/2-3). Old Dominion got two-point efforts from for players, including a new career-high for sophomore Saratu Dodo. Senior Kelly Kimener, junior Jessica Noone and sophomore Ashley Kellogg were the others with points in the game. ODU returns home to face #9 North Carolina on Wednesday, April 16 with start time set for 3:00 p.m.

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2008-04-13