An eight-goal advantage was erased by an run of nine unanswered goals leading to a 14-13 Temple Owls loss to the La Salle Explorers on Sunday afternoon at La Salle’s McCarthy Stadium.
“We got ourselves out to a really nice lead and the second half proved to be a tale of not knowing how to handle a lead very well,” coach Bonnie Rosen said.
Temple (8-6, 3-2 Atlantic 10 Conference) has now lost its second straight A-10 game after beginning conference play with three straight victories. La Salle (9-5, 1-4 A-10) was winless in conference games until its victory against the Owls.
Offensively, senior midfielder Charlotte Swavola scored five total points for the Owls, netting four goals and recording an assist. Swavola also grabbed a team-high six draw controls.
Senior midfielder Stephany Parcell recorded a hat trick, while freshman attacker Rachel Schwaab and freshman midfielder Nicole Tiernan both added a couple goals each. Junior attack Jaymie Tabor and freshman midfielder Avery Longstaff both chipped in with a goal apiece.
In the second period, senior goalie Meghan Clothier was pulled out of the game and replaced by redshirt freshman Jaqi Kakalecik. In the closing minutes, Clothier was put back in at goal. Clothier received the loss.
For La Salle, senior midfielder Melanie Sarcinello led the Explorer offense with four goals and an assist. Sophomore midfielder Caitlyn Brostrand and sophomore attack Lauren Ignacio both recorded a hat trick. Ignacio’s third goal was the game-winning free position shot.
Senior goalkeeper Maura Malone started in goal for La Salle, recording 14 saves and the win.
Shortly after the Explorers opened the first period with sophomore midfielder Kelly Furman’s goal, the Owls took early command. Temple outscored La Salle 10-3 in the first period, including two separate unanswered runs of five goals. When Schwaab capped off the first Owls’ run with a score, La Salle was forced into taking an early timeout. Brostrand scored for the Explorers, moments after the timeout, but Temple responded with its second 5-0 run.
La Salle closed out the first half with a goal, making it a seven point lead for Temple at the break.
Like the start of the game, the Explorers opened up the second period with a goal and Temple answered back with a couple of goals to make the score 12-4.
With the game clock at 18:54, Longstaff put the Owls up 13-5, but her goal would be the last of the day for the Owls and a La Salle comeback began.
La Salle scored eight consecutive goals and tied the game in the closing minutes.
“We stopped attacking and when we started to attack, we didn’t attack in a smart way and gave them opportunities,” Rosen said.
Late in the game, Temple had a chance to extend its lead with at a couple free position shots, but failed to convert.
With under a minute left and the game tied at 13, La Salle’s Ignacio was fouled and given a free position opportunity. With 13 seconds to go in the game, Ignacio was able to get her shot to go and gave La Salle its first lead since the opening minutes.
Ignacio’s lead-changing shot left Temple without adequate time to respond and sealed the La Salle comeback victory.
“We basically didn’t handle the momentum very well and when it came down to it, La Salle took it and we couldn’t stop it,” Rosen said.
Brien Edwards can be reached at brien.edwards@temple.edu or on twitter @BErick1123.
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