Temple University lacrosse scored only four goals despite taking 29 shots.
Temple (0-1) registered 11 more shots on goal than the University of Delaware but fell 7-4 Friday at Howarth Field in the Owls’ first game of the season.
“We would have liked a much different outcome, and I certainly would like a greater goal output,” coach Bonnie Rosen said. “Getting just about 30 shots on cage is a really nice amount of shots to get on. So it’s really about creating the opportunities that will score.”
Temple won the opening draw and was “aggressive” to start the game, junior midfielder Maddie Gebert said.
Sophomore midfielder Jen Rodzewich scored the first of Temple’s three first-half goals one minute 26 seconds into the game. Despite controlling the ball for the majority of the seven minutes, Blue Hens’ junior attacker Sydney Rausa scored five minutes after Rodezewich’s goal.
Delaware junior attacker Christine Long recorded a hat-trick and scored the game-winning goal eight minutes before halftime. All seven Delaware goals came in the first half.
“We started getting a little bit tired and we couldn’t quite get that momentum back,” Gebert said.
Temple allowed just four Delaware shots in the second half as junior goalkeeper Maryn Lowell did not concede a goal in the final 30 minutes.
“I was really happy to see the defense respond and really step up to be more assertive in the second half,” Rosen said.
Gebert, who led the Owls in points and goals in 2018, scored one goal in each half both while Temple was on a man-up situation. Gebert paced the Owls with seven shots, six of which were on goal.
“It’s that last little bit of just getting the ball in the net, not just on the goal,” Gebert said. “That’s the difference between a win and a loss for us.”
Rosen was excited to see freshman defender Kessina Heyn play all 60 minutes.
“[Heyn] stepped into a role, had to learn on the fly, and I think probably grew the most of anyone today on the field,” Rosen said. “So that really bodes well for short-term and long-term depth.”
Fellow freshman midfielders Wynston Archer and Gabrielle Kirsch also saw time as substitutes. Kirsch recorded one shot on goal and controlled one ground ball.
The Owls controlled 29 of the 46 ground ball opportunities throughout the game.
“Our ability to play more aggressively all over the field allowed us to have more balls,” Rosen said. “We jumped on the ground balls a little bit more. But the possession is always the key.”
Temple will start a three-game road trip on Feb.12 in Piscataway, New Jersey against Rutgers. The Owls return home on Feb. 25 to play Lafayette College at 3 pm at Howarth Field.
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