The top-seeded and top-ranked Old Dominion Lady Monarchs defeated North Carolina, 3-1, in the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship game November 19 at Foreman Field on the campus of Old Dominion. It was the fifth time the two teams have met in the championship game.

The Lady Monarchs, whose last title came in 1998, claimed their ninth overall NCAA crown and finished the season 25-1.

Old Dominion's performance was to be expected. As Wake Forest head coach Jennifer Averill warned after a semifinal loss to Old Dominion, "Just because you know what they're going to do doesn't mean you can stop it."

In the first half, Old Dominion's leading scorer, Marina DiGiacomo, connected on a pass from Adrienne Yoder and Marjolijn van der Sommen, the same duo that assisted DiGiacomo on three goals in the semifinal game. The goal gave the Lady Monarchs a 1-0 lead into halftime.

Old Dominion's Julie Miracle notched what would be the game-winning goal at the 33:49 mark of the second half. North Carolina got on the board with a Kristen McCann tip-in off an Abby Martin corner shot. The Lady Tar Heels, however, could not close the gap.

The Lady Monarchs added an insurance goal when Laura Steadman connected at the 6:31 mark. Old Dominion goalkeeper Marybeth Freeman collected six saves, including five at crucial points in the second half. North Carolina's Amy Tran had 15 saves on the night.

Despite DiGiacomo's claim that "we don't have the most skill in the nation, but we have the most heart," North Carolina head coach Karen Shelton said, "They are an outstanding team. They are the team that sets the benchmark, and we love to play them. They bring out the best in us."

To get to the championship, North Carolina bumped off defending national champion Maryland, 4-1, in the first semifinal. In the second semifinal, DiGiacomo scored an NCAA-record-tying four goals to lead the Lady Monarchs to a 6-0 victory over Wake Forest. The six goals by Old Dominion is an NCAA tournament semifinal record, and the four goals by DiGiacomo tied the NCAA tournament mark set by Old Dominion's Macha van der Vaart in 1992. DiGiacomo finished her career as the NCAA's all-time points leader with 414 points on 167 goals and 80 assists.

The all-tournament team included Old Dominion's DiGiacomo, Miracle, van der Sommen, Freeman, Steadman and Becky Loy. North Carolina's Carrie Lingo, Kristin McCann and Abby Martin, along with Maryland's Caroline Walter and Wake Forest's Kelly Doton, also were named.

Semifinals

First half: M -- Carissa Messimer (Caroline Walter), 24:56; NC -- Meredith Keller (Carrie Lingo), 8:36; NC -- Kristin McCann (unassisted), 3:08.

Second half: NC -- McCann (Jana Toepel), 13:28; NC --Keller (unassisted), 9:57.

Shots: North Carolina 7, Maryland 14; Goalkeeper saves: North Carolina (Amy Tran) 9, Maryland (Ashley Hohnstine), 2. Penalty Corners: North Carolina 3, Maryland 9.

First half: OD -- Marina DiGiacomo (unassisted), 18:45; OD -- DiGiacomo (Marjolijn van der Sommen and Adrienne Yoder), 1:34.

Second half: OD -- DiGiacomo (van der Sommen and Yoder), 32:02; OD -- Laura Steadman (Yoder), 28:14; OD -- Steadman (Tiffany Snow), 17:09; OD -- DiGiacomo (Yoder and van der Sommen), 14:37.

Shots: Old Dominion 25, Wake Forest 3; Goalkeeper saves: Old Dominion (Marybeth Freeman), 1; Wake Forest (Jamie Tressler), 12. Penalty Corners: Old Dominion 8, Wake Forest 2.

Championship

First half: OD -- Marina DiGiacomo (Adrienne Yoder and Marjolijn van der Sommen), 24:57; OD -- Julie Miracle (unassisted), 33:49

Second half: NC -- Kristen McCann (Abby Martin), 25:38; OD -- Laura Steadman (unassisted), 6:31.

Shots: Old Dominion 20, North Carolina 12; Goalkeeper saves: Old Dominion (Marybeth Freeman) 6, North Carolina (Amy Tran), 15; Penalty Corners: Old Dominion 12, North Carolina 7.