Women’s soccer explodes for 8 goals against Delaware State

With less than a minute to go in Temple’s matchup against Delaware State University,  graduate forward and first-year soccer player Morgan Glassford scored on an assist from junior forward Kerri McGinley.  

The tally in the 90th minute was Glassford’s second in a span of two minutes and 56 seconds and a fitting end to an 8-0 win at the Temple Sports Complex. Temple recorded its third clean sheet in a row to improve to 4-3-1.

This was the first time the Owls have scored eight goals since 2007, when they beat Cleveland State University 8-1. The Owls have now won their last three home games.

In the fifth minute, senior midfielder Elana Falcone scored after freshman midfielder Emma Wilkins’ shot was saved by Hornets junior goalkeeper Leslie Fazio. Once Temple’s offense got started, it did not stop.   

Temple applied consistent offensive pressure on Delaware State throughout the game and had an efficient attack.  Temple took 24 shots with 18 on goal to post a shots on goal percentage near 50 percent.

Seven different players scored. Freshman defender Aisha Brown assisted junior midfielder Sarah McGlinn’s in the 13th minute and sophomore midfielder Fran Davis scored in the 39th minute. Glassford, McGlinn and Davis tallied their first goals of the season.

After scoring the first goal of the game, Falcone assisted senior forward Gabriella McKeown’s header goal in the 14th minute. McKeown is tied with McGinley for the team lead in goals with three. McGinley also scored on Sunday, adding the sixth goal in the 58th minute.

Freshman defender Djavon Dupree earned her first start of the season.  The Philadelphia native’s playing time has increased in the last four games. She averaged 30.8 minutes in the team’s first four games and 39 in the most recent four, including 56-minute runs off the bench in the team’s two games before Sunday.

Junior goalkeeper Jordan Nash played for the first time in three games. She played the second half and made two saves in the win.

Sophomore Morgan Basileo made her fourth start in a row. She didn’t have to make any saves in the first half on Sunday. In 335 minutes this season, Basileo has a .941 save percentage. Temple has a 3-0-1 record in games she has started.

Coach Seamus O’Connor said after his team’s game against Mount St. Mary’s University on Sept. 3 that both Nash and Basileo are starting-caliber players.

The Temple defense shut down Delaware State’s offense. The Owls held the Hornets to just four shots, two of which were on goal. Neither shots was a great scoring opportunity, as both shots were from long range and straight at Nash.  The Owls kept themselves out of high-pressure situations, leading to their fifth consecutive shutout of Delaware State in as many years.

Temple’s next game is on Saturday on the road against Central Connecticut State University. It is the team’s last out-of-conference game of the season.