Men's Soccer Clinches A-10 Tourney Berth With 3-0 Win Over La Salle

Sunday, October 28

Philadelphia, PA

1:00 p.m.

Temple University

9-5-3, 5-1-2 A-10

La Salle

8-6-3, 2-4-1 A-10

Temple

La Salle

Men's Soccer Clinches A-10 Tourney Berth With 3-0 Win Over La Salle

10.28.12 | Men's Soccer

Box Score

AMBLER – Temple Men's Soccer will be heading to the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament for the third straight season and for the fourth time in the last five years, as the Owls clinched a postseason berth by virtue of spoiling La Salle's Senior Day with their 3-0 win on Sunday afternoon at McCarthy Stadium.

The Owls (9-5-3, 5-1-1) came into the contest looking to make payback to the Explorers, who ended Temple's bid at a conference title a year ago out in St. Louis when they handed the Owls a 2-0 defeat. Punching their ticket to Charlotte for this season's A-10 Tournament marks the second consecutive year that the Owls do it at the Explorers' expense, as Temple handed La Salle (8-6-3, 2-4-1) a 1-0 defeat in game 18 of the regular season a year ago.

Freshman Jared Martinelli tallied the game-winning goal for the Owls for the second straight game, helping him to supplant his name in the Temple record books for years to come. Sophomore goalkeeper Dan Scheck was also critical in the Owls' victory, as he collected his second shutout this weekend, giving him four in seven starts this season.

Temple has pitched seven clean sheets between its keepers this season, giving the team the most it has had since 2008 when it had eight.

In the 41st minute, junior Vaughn Spurrier chipped a ball to senior Cody Calafiore, who found Martinelli for the game's first goal, giving Temple a momentum boost going into the half.

Martinelli tallied his ninth goal of the season when he beat La Salle junior netminder John McCarthy. Nine goals on the year for the Mechanicsburg, Pa. native is the most by a Temple player since 2003 when Nate Webb scored 11.

Spurrier becomes only the second player to reach double figures in the assist category in Temple history, joining J.T. Noone, who had 13 back in 2008, while Calafiore, who now has a point or more in four of the last five games, rung up his total points tally to 13.

Adding to his season point total, Martinelli was credited with the helper on junior Nolan Hemmer's goal scored just under two minutes into the second half.

Martinelli now has a total of 28 points in his rookie season, which places him in a three-way tie for eighth place on Temple's all-time list for points in a single season. Only Walt Chyzowych (1959) and Ryan Haney (1997) have had more points than Martinelli in a rookie campaign. Chyzowych accumulated 50 points in his first season donning the Cherry & White, while Haney collected 32 in 1997.

Temple, who lifted 19 shots to La Salle's 11, put the game out of reach in the 85th minute when junior Jake Lister fed a pass to senior Homero Rodriguez, who found a gapping net in front of him for the Owls' third goal.

La Salle's McCarthy, who led the conference in multiple goalkeeping statistical categories made stops on nine shots before senior Jim Clark came in to make his Senior Day appearance in the game's final two and half minutes.

“We played very well today,” 13-year head coach David MacWilliams said. “It's tough to play at La Salle, since the field is turf and a little tighter, but we got off to a great start. Martinelli gave us a good jump and then Nolan scored real quick in the second half before Homero put it away later on. We beat a tough keeper today and anytime you do that, says a lot.”

Temple, who is undefeated in 10 of its last 12 games, will return to the Ambler Sports Complex, where it will close out the regular season slate next Saturday at 1:00 p.m. with a Philadelphia Soccer Six match against Saint Joseph's. Prior to kickoff, the Owls will honor their four seniors: Andrew Dodds, Cody Calafiore, Billy Kappock and Homero Rodriguez with a ceremony, commemorating their careers at Temple.