Women's Soccer Suffers Narrow 1-0 Loss To City-Rival Drexel

Friday, September 14

Ambler, Pa.

4:00 p.m.

Temple University

2-5-1

Drexel

6-1-0

Drexel

Temple

Photo by: Mitchell Leff

Women's Soccer Suffers Narrow 1-0 Loss To City-Rival Drexel

9.14.12 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Box Score (PDF)

AMBLER— In a battle for Philadelphia pride outside the city limits at the Ambler Sports Complex, Temple (2-5-1) and Drexel (6-1-0) fought through a defense-oriented match on Friday, as it took until the 72nd minute when Sam Greefield broke the scoreless tie and tallied the game-winner for the Dragons.

Greenfield checked into the game just as Courtney Wylie was set to lift a corner kick. On the kick, Wylie launched the ball over the middle of the box, where she found Christine Stevenson, who made the pass to Greenfield at the right corner of the box, allowing her to bury the ball in the net.

Despite the goal allowed, Owls' freshman goalkeeper Shauni Kerkhoff made her third straight start in net, where she turned away a career-high 10 shots.

Kerkhoff was backed by a strong defense Friday afternoon, as they caused nine of Drexel's 20 shots to be off target and out of harm's way of their netminder. Throughout the match, the Dragons contained the ball for long periods of time, but the Owls' defensive unit was in position and in the way of nearly every ball Drexel attempted to move.

Drexel's score came following a series of tests the Owls presented Dragon keeper Eve Badana between the 55th and 57th minute.

In that time frame, Temple had four of its 10 shots. Freshman Kaylee Harner got the Owls' attack started with a high kick that led to a TU corner. From there the Owls continued to work for the first goal of the match, as senior Casey Greco had a shot that was kept out by Badana. Unable to clear the ball out of the zone, Temple maintained control. Redshirt junior Jackie Krostek was knocking at the doorstep, as she was inches away from putting the ball in the back of the net, but her close shot stuffed by Badana.

After a Drexel possession, which resulted in a blocked shot to send the Owls back into Dragon territory, senior Kate Yurkovic ripped a shot, which was blocked to set up another corner. From that point on, Drexel would keep Temple from having an opportunity to get back into the match.

The 1-0 loss for the Owls at the Ambler Sports Complex, ends a shutout streak of five straight home matches in which the Owls did not allow a goal, dating back to Oct. 7, 2011.

Through eight games, Temple has been involved in five matches that have been decided by one goal or less.

Looking to bounce back from the setback, Temple (2-5-1) will host its final non-conference match of the season, as it welcomes the Hartford Hawks on Sunday afternoon. Kick off time is set for 2:00 p.m.