Kerkhoff posts second consecutive shutout

For their second game of the season, the Owls traveled to Dover, Del. and defeated the Delaware State Hornets 4-0 this afternoon.

“We’re extremely proud to be 2-0, but we have such higher goals for ourselves and the program,” coach Seamus O’Connor said. “It’s just an evolution for the program. It’s the next step. We are confident right now”.

After the win, Temple (2-0) walks away from its first two games undefeated, a feat it had not accomplished since 2011. Delaware St. (0-1), playing their season opener against the Owls, starts its 2013 with a loss.

Four different players scored goals for Temple: sophomore defender Kaylee Harner, sophomore forward Kelly Farrell, junior defender Alyssa Kirk and freshman midfielder Clara Guenter. Each player’s goal was the first of their career.

“I think we finally found our groove and we’re playing as a unit,” Harner said. “To have two shutouts to start the season, with goals, makes it that much better. Now all of the defense’s hard work is paying off.”

Sophomore goalkeeper Shaunie Kerkhoff led Temple with two assists. Farrell, sophomore defender Taylor Trusky, and sophomore Paula Jurewicz registered an assist apiece.

Kerkhoff recorded her second consecutive shutout win of the season, grabbing a save on her lone faced shot. Kerkhoff’s two assists were the first of her career from between the bars.

“Everyone had to be on and it was all about teamwork,” Kerkhoff said. “If one group of people are on [and another is not], we’re not going to get anything done, but we really worked together and I think that was the key to today’s game”.

For DSU, sophomore defender Danielle Valente record the Hornets’ single shot attempt. Junior goalkeeper Katelyn Koslosky recorded three saves in a loss. 

Of Temple’s 19 shots attempts, seven were on goal, while the Owls’ defense held the Hornets to one shot attempt the entire game. 

In the 20th minute, Harner took a pass from Farrell and netted the Owls’ first goal of the day, Harner’s first of her career. Jurewicz was also credited with an assist on the Harner goal, which gave Temple a 1-0 halftime lead.

The Owls would eventually begin to show their dominance and pull away in the second period.

At the 60th minute, Farrell gained more points to her day’s total, scoring on a breakaway score. 17 minutes later, Kirk scored the team’s third goal of the game, followed by Guenter’s goal which capped the blowout. 

In their two games this season, the Owls have scored six total goals, more than half of their point production from a year ago.

“It’s just been a progression, tweaking what we started two years ago,” O’Connor said. “We scored 10 last year, but we created so many chances but we just didn’t get the final touches on them. Where this year now, we’re creating chances again, it’s just a better quality chance we’re creating. Players have the confidence to go finish them”

Brien Edwards can be reached at brien.edwards@temple.edu or on Twitter @BErick1123.