Tribe Defeats ODU, 4-1, to Earn Second Consecutive CAA Regular-Season Title

11/01/07 10:00PM

NORFOLK, Va. - The William and Mary women’s soccer team claimed its second consecutive Colonial Athletic Association regular-season title with a 4-1 triumph at Old Dominion on Thursday evening. With the top overall seed, W&M (14-4-1, 9-1-1) earns a first-round bye in the conference tournament and will await the winner of the VCU-UNC Wilmington quarterfinal matchup.

Sophomore Kellie Jenkins led the Tribe with a pair of goals, including the game-winner, while junior Dani Collins and freshman Kaitlin O’Connor also registered a goal apiece.

“While we didn’t play particularly well in the first half, we played much better in the second half,” Head Coach John Daly said. “Overall, it was a solid performance, and we earned an important victory.”

O’Connor put the College on the scoreboard in the 24th minute when she controlled a cleared corner kick and blasted a shot from about 25 yards out. It was the second goal in the past two matches for O’Connor, the reigning CAA Co-Rookie of the Week.

While the Lady Monarchs evened the count with a goal in the 27th minute, the Tribe reclaimed the lead when Jenkins scored in the 39th minute. Sophomore Krissy Vornadore raced down the left side and fed the ball into the box to Jenkins, who fired the game-winner from 15 yards out.

Collins added a goal early in the second half when she connected on a powerful header off a corner kick by junior Meredith Brown. It was Collins’ fourth goal of the season, while Brown notched her six assist of the year.

The Tribe recorded its fourth goal in the 69th minute when Jenkins found the back of the net for the second time. Senior Emily Kittleson fed Jenkins in the box, and the Williamsburg, Va., native touched it past ODU’s keeper. With the score, Jenkins upped her goals total to four this season, while Kittleson tallied her sixth assist.

W&M out-shot the Lady Monarchs, 10-8, and held a 5-4 advantage in shots on goal. Additionally, the Green and Gold held a 7-0 advantage in corner kicks.

With the triumph, the Tribe has now won six straight contests and is 13-2-1 in its last 16 matches.

Box Score