Hockey Today: The Resurrection of A Lost Program

Returning Two-Time All-American Kelsey Smither holds the key to ODU's future success

ORLANDO, Fla. - Thirst, Hope, Belief and A Will to win like no other. This may describe the Old Dominion field hockey program as they are right now. The Winningest College field hockey program in the country, 9 National Championships, but without one since 2000. Many of the best players in the world went there because of its reputation for winning, and they have won, but not what they really desire. The team that ended the preseason defeating the No. 1-ranked team to start the season, Maryland, in College Park, had some growing up to do. Granted their four losses all to ranked teams are one-goal losses, but finishing and learning to finish offensively was a struggle..until this past weekend.

On Friday, Old Dominion, which had been ranked No. 9 in the country (yes rankings don't mean anything but still), was tied 1-1 against William and Mary with the majority of the second half still to play. Until at 45' ODU was granted a corner. You know the drill, Rosario Villagra inbounds and either Sarah Breen or someone else shoots. Well as frustrating as it has so far gone on the corner, it happened to go in the back of the cage this time. And again just over a minute later. 

Then on Sunday, one of the captains had to take control. Villagra took her years of experience and used her thousands of hours a week training to go from defense to offense and score for her team. Then in overtime, she received assistance from Breen to shoot an unbelievable shot that I still think is SportsCenter Top-10 worthy. 

Now with a week to prepare for James Madison, how does the school that still claims to be the best use its time to prepare for the in-state foe? They also have Villanova, then on the road against all-time rival Maryland. Underclassmen would love to overlook those next two games and see a red Terrapin. Do they give it their all or will they go backwards in their quest for 14 years of being Number One again?

The point is I haven't seen a loss at the L.R. Hill since ODU lost to Virginia in early 2013..No that's not it... the point is that now that they have learned and experienced finishing to win as a group, the confidence they receive from those games shows up in the next few, however it is up to the captains to see that through.

Take last year, Old Dominion was 1-6. They won a few games in a row then played No. 1 Maryland in College Park (which you will still regret if you are a hockey fan and weren't there). That year they ->Believed<- in each other after so many games of knowing they could beat anybody..and they did. They beat No. 1, which some will tell you was their favorite, then No. 4 UConn (eventual champ) and No. 2 North Carolina, which others say favorite. Skeptics that care enough about the sport would say..this year they don't have a Christy Longacre or a Dani "Star" Clutter to help them through. It's true that every person, every leader, is different. You can't compare any player to another because we all have different characteristics to help achieve a dream. So how are they to turn the year around, and "Rise"?

Simple. Their leaders are scoring/making big plays again. Goalkeeper Megan Hept, back Emily HarTing (no K), Katy Fuhrman, Cass Wagner, Teisha King, Nicole Goff, Breen are all making defensive and attacking plays this past week, which are helping the team win. Two-time All-American (Michael Jordan-like) Kelsey Smither is stepping into the offensive zone, doing everything she can on defense, and received two assists in the team's 3-1 win against The Tribe. Returning BIG EAST Player of the Year, Villagra also cashed in for 3 goals and what seems to be 2 assists in the wins against the Tribe and the 2-1 OT against the Blue Hens, oh and her attitude (the phrase-fake a smile), which reflects off the FR and Soph's, is way better. 

Rosario received Offensive Player of the Week, which Meg Byas also received this year, and looked like the offensive threat she ended last year's regular season as. However, you know it's not about one person. The game of Hockey, both Field and Ice is about a collective group of individuals building chemistry to finding each other and working toward the goal of being a champion, on and off the turf/rink.

Rosario Villagra, Old Dominion

BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week
Rosario Villagra, Old Dominion, Sr., F/M
Villagra tallied three goals and two assists in a 2-0 week for ODU. In a 3-1 win at William & Mary on Friday, the senior stuffed the stat sheet with one goal, two assists and four shots before providing both goals in the Monarchs' 2-1 overtime victory against Delaware on Sunday. Villagra's 1.5 points per game this season rank third among BIG EAST players.

-----------------------From the BIG EAST------------------------------

 

First task, stay focused on James Madison. Then, when the time does come to play AT Maryland and AT UConn and AT Virginia the players will know they can not only stay toe-to-toe with these teams but that winning and winning in impressive fashion is more than achievable, it's Expected.

Hockey, is a family game. If you don't believe in each other, then you will never win. So I suppose if this program is to return to its former glory, it continues the next time they hold practice and not next Sunday.