So much for the revenge factor.

Old Dominion apparently did not take enough motivation from their loss to the Penn State field hockey team in the NCAA semifinals last season to win the rematch. The Nittany Lions, who eventually fell to Wake Forest in the finals, opened their 2003 season with a 6-2 win over the Lady Monarchs (1-1) yesterday afternoon in Norfolk, Va.

The loss was Old Dominion's first on its home turf, Foreman Field, since 1999. The Lady Monarchs also had not allowed an opponent to score more than four goals since 2000.

The Lions (1-0) wasted no time getting things started as junior Amanda Eckert scored one of her two goals past Old Dominion goalie Tina Walker just 3:26 into the game. However, the Lady Monarchs responded 16 seconds later to tie the game at one apiece. The tie was short-lived as Penn State forward Mary Schaefer put the Lions up for good with a goal 4:47 in to the game.

"I don't know if I've ever seen a game where three goals were scored like that in the first five minutes," Penn State field hockey coach Char Morett said.

Senior forward Timarie Legel scored twice in the first half to give Penn State a 4-1 halftime lead. Legel finished the game with a pair of goals and a pair of assists. Penn State was out-shot, 17-14, but senior goalie Annie Zinkavich had a strong performance, stopping all but two Old Dominion attempts.

"Annie played outstanding," Morett said. "She was the difference maker in the game."

Morett said that last year's semifinal match-up between the two teams had little effect on the outcome of this game since the rosters of the two teams are so different. Most notably, Penn State is without three-time All-American Jill Martz. Martz led the team in assists in her senior campaign last year.

The match-up against Old Dominion was a tough one for Penn State to open the season with, but the Lions showed that they were anxious to return to action after losing in their first ever national championship game last season.

"I like playing a tough schedule early," Morett said. "We've had a history of playing Old Dominion early and it never hurts you."

Morett said that many factors contributed to her team being able to play so well on the road, but she was especially pleased with the play of her bench.

"When our bench came in, they didn't miss a beat," Morett said. "The continuity between our bench players and our starters is something that I think is really going to be a strength for us this year."