Murphy Matches Season-High In Saves In Women's Soccer's, 3-0, Loss To Fordham

Friday, October 26

Ambler, Pa.

3:00 p.m.

Temple University

(5-12-2, 2-6-0 A-10)

Fordham

(8-10-0, 4-4-0 A-10)

Fordham

Temple

Murphy Matches Season-High In Saves In Women's Soccer's, 3-0, Loss To Fordham

10.26.12 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

AMBLER – For the first 45 minutes of Friday's match against the Fordham Rams, the Owls were on point, playing their brand of stingy defense, while controlling the tempo with their offensive opportunities. When the teams broke from their halftime huddles for the second session, the Rams got a big jump, scoring under two minutes in, capping off a three-goal half to hand Temple a 3-0 loss at the Ambler Sports Complex.

Coming down to the wire of her collegiate career, redshirt senior Tara Murphy tied her season-high in saves with 12 on Friday, giving her 217 since transferring to Temple back in 2010. Her total saves in her Cherry & White career has her in fourth place on Temple's all-time list.

In what was a very balanced first half, the Rams ripped eight shots to Temple's five before Fordham began throwing everything at Murphy and the Owls in the second, as it had 20 shots in the game's final 45 minutes.

Senior Annie Worden got the scoring started for Fordham in the 46th minute, when she took a pass from Kristina Maksuta at the top of the box, where she fired the ball into the back of the net. Worden struck again 23 minutes later when she stood inside the box to head sophomore Kate McDonnell's shot into the high-right corner of the netting.

McDonnell increased her point total to a three-point day, as she expanded the lead to a three-goal lead when she headed freshman Ivana Lahcanski's shot past Murphy.

Despite trailing, the Owls never relinquished their sense of urgency.

Right off the ensuing kickoff after Fordham's first goal, senior captain Kate Yurkovic sprinted with the ball through the middle. Having her shot blocked, she caught up to the rebound and blasted a shot that drilled the post.

Temple continued to fight for its share of chances in the second half. Trailing by a goal, the Owls couldn't have come closer to knotting the game at a goal apiece as they did in the 57th minute.

A corner feed by junior Karly O'Toole was placed perfectly over the box, left for both teams to fight at the incoming ball. With numbers in front and on the doorstep of the net, the Owls had a couple of tries at pounding the ball in. Freshman Paige Rachel's attempt could not be retrieved by keeper Ally White, causing the ball to roll across the goal, but no one could get a foot on the ball to even the score.

With the loss, Temple drops to 5-12-2 overall and 2-6-0 in Atlantic 10 Conference play. The defeat puts the Owls out of postseason contention.

Temple will wrap up its 2012 campaign and its membership in the Atlantic 10 Conference for women's soccer when it hosts the La Salle Explorers at the Ambler Sports Complex. Kickoff time is scheduled for 1:00 p.m., but with Hurricane Sandy expected to hit the Tri-State Area, kickoff time is subject to change. Please check Owlsports.com for the latest updates on a game-time change.

Preluding the match, Temple will honor its eight seniors with a ceremony.