A packed August schedule
The Old Dominion women's soccer team is set for a demanding stretch of road games, beginning with an away match against UNCW on Thursday, August 20, followed by a contest at Wake Forest on Sunday, August 23. Both fixtures will be streamed live, with the UNCW game available on FloSports and the Wake Forest clash on ESPN+, giving fans across the country a chance to follow the action.
The Monarchs enter the series with a mixed bag of recent results. A 1‑1 draw against UNCW dates back to September 7, 2017, while a 3‑1 loss to Wake Forest occurred on September 9, 2016. Since then, ODU has opened the season with a 3‑0 victory over Longwood, highlighted by goals from Sydney Somers, Hannah Morgan and Ally Richardson, and an early strike from Madison Telmer that announced the team's attacking intent.
Key contributors have emerged early in the campaign. Riley Mullen has already logged assists in both season openers, while defender Katie Lutz added an assist in the win over Longwood. In goal, Ellie Goodrich has played 135 minutes, recorded two saves and secured her first clean sheet of the year, providing stability between the posts.
UNCW arrives with its own momentum, having started the season with a 3‑0 win over Appalachian State and a 2‑1 victory against Western Carolina. Caigan Leonard leads the Seahawks with four points from two goals, while Hailey Longwell and Ava Vaughn each contributed a goal and an assist, underscoring a balanced offensive threat.
Wake Forest, ranked 18th in the United Soccer Coaches poll, has opened with two convincing wins over South Carolina and LSU. The Demon Deacons are paced by Riley Cross and Lola Ressler, who have combined for three points through a goal and an assist, positioning them as a formidable opponent for ODU.
Adding to the excitement, the Monarchs will host a highly anticipated matchup against third‑ranked Duke on Thursday, August 27, at 6 p.m. at the ODU Soccer Complex. The game promises to test ODU's progress and could serve as a pivotal moment in their early season narrative.