With 10 minutes to play in regulation of a scoreless match against East Carolina at Ambler Soccer Field Sunday, Paula Jurewicz implored her teammates to find their scoring touch as Temple lined up for a corner kick.
“Come on, girls,” Jurewicz said. “Let’s finish this.”
In 110 minutes of play, the Owls did everything but finish.
Temple (9-5-1, 1-3-1) and East Carolina each earned a single point in the American Athletic Conference standings via a scoreless tie in double overtime. Jurewicz and her teammates failed to find the back of the net despite outshooting the Pirates, 18-5, and maintaining a 12-2 advantage in corner kicks on the day.
“As frustrated as they are, I told them, ‘We did well. We’re a point closer to where we need to be,’” coach Seamus O’Connor said. “It could have been a lot worse. That point could make a huge difference at the end of the season in terms of who we play and even getting into the playoffs so we’ll take it.”
Temple’s 18 shots is its most since the Owls totaled a season-high 21 shots in a 4-1 win against Binghamton University Sept. 13. The team’s 13 shots on goal is its most since putting up 16 on-target attempts in a win against Delaware State, 5-0, Aug. 23.
“Outshooting a team like this, especially being a defender, it’s super frustrating to not score,” senior Taylor Trusky said. “We had so many opportunities. We hoped to beat them, obviously, but we got a point and we have to move on from here. A point is better than nothing.”
Temple’s defense has given up one goal or less in nine consecutive games.
The last time the Owls allowed more than a single score came Sept. 6, when the team suffered its only home loss of the season to Lehigh, 3-2, in overtime.
“The defense did awesome today to keep a shutout,” O’Connor said. “In conference, I think shutouts should be worth more points. I feel they’re worth more just because it’s so hard to keep these teams shut out, so I was very pleased with that.”
The Owls’ loss to Lehigh Sept. 6 was the first career start for freshman goalkeeper Jordan Nash, who has allowed nine goals in 10 starts this season since taking over for injured senior goalkeeper Shauni Kerkhoff Sept. 4 at Penn.
Sunday against East Carolina, Nash totaled two saves, her lowest total since having zero against Lehigh, as the Pirates attempted five shots with two on goal.
Senior defender Erin Lafferty said Nash’s communication with the defense has greatly improved since her first start.
“We can hear her back there,” Lafferty said. “And I’m sure it’s just getting into her comfort zone and working into it. She’s still new and these are still games that she’s never experienced before at this level, so I think she’s done a great job stepping up.”
Tom Reifsynder can be reached at tom.reifsnyder@temple.edu or on Twitter @Tom_Reifsnyder.
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