Senior goalie Sarah Dalrymple recorded a shutout on Sunday.
The field hockey team fought West Chester on Sunday in a game that was crucial in determining the Owls’ fate in the Atlantic Ten Conference, as they entered play with a 1-1 record in the conference.
A win against the Golden Rams would provide the Owls with great security when it comes to securing a spot in the A-10 tournament. Temple afforded that much-needed win in a 3-0 shutout over West Chester.
Both teams opened Sunday’s matchup with a great deal of aggressiveness on the offensive end. The first half was characterized by fast breaks and scoring opportunities for both teams.
The Owls wasted no time getting chances to score. Junior forward Bridget Settles notched her team-leading 12th goal of the season at 13 minutes into play. The goal was a result of a corner opportunity. Settles was able to wind up and place the ball into the back of the net, untouched.
The Owls responded on the defensive end when senior goalkeeper Sarah Dalrymple was able to make a sliding stop on a breakaway opportunity for West Chester.
With 12:35 remaining in the half, sophomore forward Caryn Lambright scored a goal as she lifted the puck over the outstretched arm of the West Chester goalkeeper.
The Owls entered halftime with a 2-0 lead. But in the second half, Temple traded in its aggressive play for a slower style, hoping to run out the clock and control the pace.
“We did a good job to control the clock and play at the speed that we wanted to play at,” coach Amanda Janney said.
West Chester was unable to get into any offensive set, as Temple defense continued its staunch play.
Temple called a timeout with 18 minutes left in the half, and Janney focused on offensive execution. The team took its coach’s advice, as Lambright notched her second goal of the contest just four minutes later.
“We all played well today,” Lambright said. “The passes that we got from each other set up the goals perfectly, and without those passes, I wouldn’t have had the goals.”
West Chester continued its stagnant play throughout the rest of the half, as the Owls coasted to a 3-0 victory on the strength of Dalrymple’s fifth shutout of the year and quick, effective shooting on offense.
“It’s a great win, and it gives us a lot of momentum going forward,” Janney said. “We’re really proud of the girls and the way they played to get a big shutout. We’re fortunate to have a top goalkeeper back there, and all of our defenders had a great game back there.”
The Owls look to make it two wins in a row – which would advance them to 3-1 in the A-10 – when they go on the road Friday to take on Massachusetts.
Raymond Boyd can be reached at raymond.boyd@temple.edu.
Be the first to comment