Caitlin Dorsch ~ Copy Desk Chief
On Sunday, Nov. 3, the Lady Hornets ended their regular season with sixteen wins, three losses, a national ranking of nineteen, and an Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) ranking of one. They ended their regular season with a game against the Fighting Scots of Wooster College in Wooster, Ohio. Jackie Lerro, Maggie Chiappazzi, and Kessa Romero scored three goals that propelled the Hornets over the Fighting Scots by a score of 3 to 1.
This win was even more impactful for the program, in general, as head coach Enza Steele earned her six-hundredth win. According to NCAA records, Coach Steele is the first NCAA head coach to ever accomplish the 600-win milestone.
Their win against Wooster College was their eleventh straight victory. The Lady Hornets team is looking to keep this momentum going as they move into the semifinal round of the ODAC tournament.
“Even starting a week before our game, the team has been focusing on getting mentally prepared, sleeping, and staying hydrated. I look forward to these next couple of practices to be really serious and intense. I think it will really pay off, and we will have a lot of fun in the process. As a freshman, this experience is much cooler than I expected and, hopefully, we can get a second straight ODAC Championship title,” says Sarah McCollum.
The key for the Lady Hornets is to stay healthy and mentally strong throughout these long and tough matches coming up. Lauren Litsinger explains, “It’s super exciting to be ranked 1st and undefeated in the ODACs for two years in a row. As a team, we spend a lot of time together off the field preparing mentally and physically as well as making sure we have some down time. We are all so supportive of each other, and I’m so excited to share this experience with all of my teammates!”
The first-seeded Lady Hornets are back in action at home on Shellenberger Field on Friday, November 8 at 4:30 p.m. when they host the winter of the fifth-seeded Roanoke College Maroons and the fourth-seeded Randolph-Macon College Yellow Jackets. The ODAC finals will take place on Saturday, Nov. 9.