Box Score Katie Brennan scored the game-winning goal in the 59th minute off an assist from Erin Funkhouser as the Lynchburg College Hornets repeated as Old Dominion Athletic Conference field hockey champions with a 1-0 win over Eastern Mennonite University in a rematch of the 2006 finals.

Lynchburg will gain the ODAC automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament as the Hornets stand at 18-4 overall on the season. EMU ends the 2007 season with a 10-7 overall mark and a 7-0 record in the conference.

"This was the best game of our season overall and the team left everything out on the field," said EMU head coach Brenda Bechler. "We have a young team and the experience they gained from this match will hopefully carry over into next season."

Neither team was able to gain an advantage in the first half as both defenses stepped up and provided the real showcase of the game with key stops in their backfield. EMU thwarted an early attempt by LC in the first half when Samantha Howards' attempt was blocked by goalkeeper Becky Nolt (East Berlin, Pa./Bermudian Springs) when Howard was able to get through the EMU defense three minutes into the game.

Later in the half EMU leading scorer Alyssa Derstine (Telford, Pa./Christopher Dock) gave the Lady Royals one of their best scoring chances on the day after Lynchburg goalkeeper Sarah Cates was caught on the right-side of the goal leaving the left corner open. Derstine pressed the shot towards the opening only to have the Hornets' Kelly Weineck seal the gap and move the ball out of the zone.

The game remained tied heading into the break with the shot chart showing a 5-4 margin in favor of Lynchburg. Both teams again came out pressing on offense with Lynchburg getting a shot blocked off a corner in the second minute of the half while EMU saw a shot by Derstine run just wide of the net off a corner by freshman Hailee Rittle (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon).

Brennan then broke the scoreless tie with the clock at 59:36 as she recorded her fourth goal of the season, shooting the ball just past the outstretched right glove hand of Nolt and into the back of the net with the assist from Funkhouser.

Nolt registered four saves for EMU with Cates recording one save for LC.

The Lady Royals continued to press through the remainder of the game and were able to get a penalty corner as time expired. LC defended the attempt and let the ball sail wide left to clinch their second straight conference title and 11th overall.

Following the contest the All-Tournament team members were announced. The full list of All-Conference award winners will be announced by the ODAC at a later time.

ODAC All-Tournament Team:
- Ashley Crouch from Randolph-Macon
- Becky Clark from Randolph-Macon
- Grace McGee from Washington & Lee
- Tara Rubenstein from Washington & Lee
- Lisa King from Eastern Mennonite
- Karissa Sauder from Eastern Mennonite
- Alyssa Derstine from Eastern Mennonite
- Samantha Morano from Lynchburg
- Jenny Weir from Lynchburg
- Allie Weir from Lynchburg
- Samantha Howard from Lynchburg (Tournament MVP)


Left to Right: Lisa King (EMU), Karissa Sauder (EMU), Alyssa Derstine (EMU), EMU President Dr. Loren Swarzendruber, ODAC and Lynchburg College President Ken Garren, Samantha Morano (LC), Allie Weir (LC), Jenny Weir (LC), and Samantha Howard (LC). Howard was also named ODAC Field Hockey Tournament MVP.