At Franklin Field on Tuesday, the Temple field hockey team shut out cross-town rival Penn 1-0.
The Owls improved their record up to 4-8 while the Quakers fell to 2-7 on the year.
Temple’s outstanding goaltender, Serene McGrath, could have been mistaken for a brick wall, denying 14 Penn shots on goal on her way to another brilliant shutout performance.
Temple’s offense did not play up to its ability, putting only five shots on net, including the game winner, which was scored early in the first half of play.
But the Owls’ lack of offense against Penn was not something to be concerned about, according to head coach Lauren Fuchs.
“Looking at our season overall, we have been outcornering and outshooting our opponents,” Fuchs said. “We just need to be more aggressive around the cage.”
Coach Fuchs also added that excellent overall play by forwards Michelle Murawski and Kacy Ziomek, as well as midfielder Emily Moyer, has helped the Owls work better as a team.
The feelings were not so upbeat on Saturday at Geasey Field, as the Owls lost a heartbreaker in overtime to Southwest Missouri State, 2-1.
With 20:56 left to go in the contest, Temple’s Virginia Gonzalez scored to tie the game at 1-1. Gonzalez was assisted by Haley Dervinis and Jessica Jaworski.
Unfortunately for Temple, the tie didn’t last. In the overtime period, the Bear’s Shannon Keaveny netted the winning goal for S.W. Missouri State.
Owl goaltenders Serene McGrath and April Herman remained the strength of the team, combining for five saves on seven shots.
“Just like if a team was 8-4 and not 4-8, we need to take this season one game at a time,” Fuchs said.
Although they have dropped some winnable games, the Owls are optimistic about the remainder of their season, which includes several very important Atlantic 10 contests.
The Owls’ next game is a huge conference match-up opposite Umass at Geasey Field on Saturday at noon. Then on Sunday at noon, Temple hosts, Rhode Island, the team that ended the Owls season in the A-10 semifinals last year.
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