Field hockey continues losing skid with seventh straight loss

Temple University field hockey dropped both their weekend games and have now lost seven games in a row.

The Owls (2-13, 0-5 Big East Conference) traveled to play City Six rival Drexel (7-7, 0-2 Colonial Athletic Association) on Oct 14, where they lost 2-1 in double overtime at Buckley Field.

Despite losing, Temple played their most successful offensive game all year against Drexel. They led in shots, shots on goal and penalty corners.

“Our movement on the forward line was really good,” said junior forward Lucy Reed, who scored the Owls’ only goal against Old Dominion with a penalty stroke.

Reed was one of four players with at least two shot attempts on Sunday. Junior midfielder Kathryn Edgar lead the team with six shots.

“We’ve seen some really good bits of hockey from our team throughout the year,” Freeman said after the loss to Old Dominion. “Where we haven’t been able to be successful is putting it all together over 70 minutes.”

The Owls played a strong game for nearly 90 minutes.

All three goals occurred on penalty corners with the game-winning goal in the final minute of the second overtime period.

The Dragons scored first on Sunday despite Temple’s possession advantage. In the last minute of the first half, Drexel freshman forward Emily Owens deflected a shot to the top of the cage.

The Owls had three consecutive penalty corners within the first five minutes of the second overtime period, but couldn’t capitalize on them.

“What good is it to get the ball up there if we’re not going to finish it,” Freeman said. “Am I proud that we out-shot and out-cornered them, yeah. I’m not pleased though, with hitting it right into the goalkeeper. That’s not something that we want.”

In their last game against a ranked opponent this season, Temple lost, 9-1, to Old Dominion University (9-5, 2-3 Big East) on Oct. 12 at Howarth Field.

Old Dominion is ranked No. 25 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Poll.

The Monarchs scored five goals in the first half, including three in the first ten minutes. After Old Dominion’s fifth goal, junior goalkeeper Maddie Lilliock entered the game for the first time all season. Lilliock played the final 49 minutes, allowing four second-half goals.

“We’ve been seeing top-ranked teams all year,” Temple coach Marybeth Freeman said. “Regardless of where they are in the rankings, it’s nothing new to us, to be honest. Where we had a slip-up was our mental ability to be in focus.”

The Owls will play three more games to close out the 2018 season. They will travel to Villanova on Oct. 19, then play their final two games at home on Oct. 26 and 28.