No. 12 W&M Defeats ODU, 5-2, To Conclude Regular Season

16-1-2 regular-season mark is a program record

10/27/06 11:00PM

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - The 12th-ranked William and Mary women’s soccer team capped off its best regular season in program history with a 5-2 victory against Old Dominion on a cold and rainy Friday night in Williamsburg. The Tribe extended its school-record unbeaten streak to 15 contests and concludes the regular season with a 16-1-2 record overall and a 10-0-1 mark in conference play.

Sophomore Claire Zimmeck scored twice for the Green and Gold, while senior Tiffany Chudoba, junior Donna Mataya and freshman Sarah Quinlan all tallied goals for W&M.

Chudoba, playing in her final regular-season home match, got the College on the board first when she found the back of the net in the ninth minute. Off a throw in from senior Katie Hogwood, Chudoba beat one defender with a head fake before touching the ball into space at the top of the 18-yard box, beating another ODU back. The Lady Monarch goalkeeper came off her line, and the Clifton, Va., native finished into the left side of the goal. It was Chudoba’s initial goal of the season, while Hogwood registered her sixth assist.

Zimmeck put the Tribe ahead 2-0 in the 21st minute when she took the ball from an ODU defender 40 yards out and outran the defense, finishing into the right side of the goal.

Just two minutes later, Zimmeck struck again when sophomore Abby Lauer fed her with a pass down the right side that led a breakaway. The Fairfax, Va., native raced into the penalty area, touched the ball past the onrushing ODU keeper, and finished into the center of the net. Zimmeck now has a conference-best 14 goals this season. The assist was Lauer’s sixth of the season, tying her with Hogwood for team-high honors.

With 2:32 remaining in the first half, the Tribe went ahead 4-0 following a score by Quinlan. The Weston, Fla., native controlled the loose ball and outraced a trio of ODU defenders, before touching the ball around the Lady Monarch goalkeeper. It was her third goal of the season.

A little less than 10 minutes into the second half, the Green and Gold extended its lead to 5-0, as Mataya poked in a header from six yards out. Junior Mary MacKenzie Grier and Chudoba earned assists on the play. Mataya ranks second on the team with 10 goals.

In the 61st minute, ODU got on the scoreboard when Lisa McKenzie served in a corner kick to Shavon McKnight, who cut in front of W&M goalkeeper Meghan Walker and punched in a header.

In the 73rd minute, ODU’s Jode Knorowski took a corner from the left side and scored, as her attempt curved into the upper corner just inside the far post.

By virtue of its regular-season conference crown, the Tribe will not compete in the CAA quarterfinals. Instead, W&M will begin its quest for the league championship in a Thursday night semifinal match at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex.

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