Unyielding Defense Leads Women's Soccer To Scoreless Draw With Hartford

Sunday, September 16

Ambler, Pa.

2:00 p.m.

Temple University

2-5-2

Hartford

2-3-3

OT 3

OT 4

Hartford

Temple

Photo by: Mitchell Leff

Unyielding Defense Leads Women's Soccer To Scoreless Draw With Hartford

9.16.12 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

| Box Score (PDF)

Postgame Interviews: Kerkhoff | Seigfried

AMBLER— The unbreakable defense of the Temple women's soccer team was out in full force once again, but it happened to be on the same day that the Hartford Hawks brought their impourous unit to the Ambler Sports Complex, where the Owls (2-5-2) and Hawks (2-3-3) battled to a scoreless, 0-0-, draw on Sunday afternoon.

For nearly a 10 minute span in the second half, the Owls created chances for themselves, bringing fans to the edge of their seat. Starting in the 66th minute, freshman Rachel Barbella generated a threat from the Owls when she blasted a shot that went wide, before senior Kate Yurkovic caught up to the ball before taking a shot that was blocked by a Hawk defender.

Yurkovic, who leads the team in scoring this season, finished with a game-high six shots. In the latter moments of the match, she was set up with a liner that she headed on net, but was drilled directly at Hartford keeper Erin Quinlan, who completed the day making eight saves.

Unable to clear, the Hawks held their breath for a moment when freshman Lauren Berry had a wide-open opportunity from the top of the box, which she launched at the goal, but took flight right over the cross bar. As the Hawks and their fans exhaled, the Owls still maintained pressure and created chances for themselves. Seconds later in the 77th, it was Berry once again that had an opportunity for breaking the scoreless bout, but once again her kick sailed high over the netting.

Another rookie making a presence was freshman Paula Jurewicz, who came up with two big scoring chances late in the match, Between the 81st and 82nd minute, Jurewicz struck a ball off her foot high, but after an offside call on the Hawks, she lined a shot right at Quinlan.

Before going to overtime, Berry tested Quinlan one more time, but the Hawk keeper was not fazed by the test, as she kept the match at a 0-0 deadlock at the end of regulation.

For the match, Hartford struck 25 balls in the Owls way, with only eight that were directed on goal, which were all robbed by freshman Shauni Kerkhoff.
Kerkhoff, who made her fourth-straight start in net for the Owls, collected her second shutout of her career. As a team, Temple has pitched three shutouts against opponents in2012, which is just two off from tying last season's total.

On the other end of the field, the Owls put forth their most threatening offensive game of the seaqson, as they finished the game with a season-high 21 shots—six of which were targeted on goal, but turned away by Quinlan.

The second half of the match proved to be one with a lot of physicality. Of the 26 total fouls, 14 were called in the second half. Temple had the whistle blown on them 17 times for the game, interrupting Hartford's opportunity to build momentum during its ball movement in the Owls' zone. The intensity caused the referees to issue cards to Hartford in the 54th minute and to Temple in the 74th and 106th minutes.

Gaining a point in the standings with the tie, the Owls will look to their final non-conference weekend when they head to the state of New York, where they will make visits to Siena and Marist. Temple will get the agenda started Friday when it takes on the Siena Saints at 4:00 p.m.