Temple University Athletics
Temple University
UConn
#17 Field Hockey Travels to #8 UConn For Final Regular-Season Contest on Saturday
10.31.13 | Field Hockey
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PHILADELPHIA - Only one regular season game remains for #17 Temple field hockey, and it's a big one as the Owls (14-4, 4-2) travel to #8 Connecticut for a noon contest on Saturday, Nov. 2. Temple has already secured a berth in the four-team BIG EAST Tournament, but the result of the game will have an effect on whether the Owls are the third or fourth seed.
Temple head coach Amanda Janney has taken the Owls to a conference tournament in every year of her nine-year career, with the past eight being Atlantic 10 Tournaments. In Temple's most recent game at Lafayette on Oct. 27, Janney earned her 100th career win, becoming the third coach in the history of the program to reach the 100-win plateau. Her overall record now stands at 100-85.
The BIG EAST Tournament will be hosted by UConn on Nov. 8 and 10, so the Owls will return to the site of Saturday's game less than a week later. The other teams will be #5 Old Dominion, #8 UConn and #14 Louisville. Temple lost very narrowly to both ODU (1-0) and Louisville (2-1 in OT).Â
The Owls enter Saturday's game on a four-game win streak. Most recently, they defeated BIG EAST foe Georgetown 5-1 and earned a come-from-behind 3-2 at non-conference opponent Lafayette. Junior Amber Youtz is the reigning BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week after strong performances in both of those wins, scoring twice and adding an assist vs. Georgetown before scoring and also assisting on the game-winning goal at Lafayette.
Youtz currently leads all players in NCAA Division I in goals per game (1.14) and points per game (2.79). She is also moving up the ranks on the all-time career lists at Temple in only her junior year. With 103 career points, Youtz is tied with her former teammate Bridget Settles for fifth all-time, and with 42 goals she sits just behind Settles in career goals, ranking seventh all-time. This season, Youtz has scored a conference-best 16 goals to go with seven assists.
Temple goalkeeper Lizzy Millen has recorded five shutouts this season, and currently ranks fourth in the nation in saves percentage at .815. She also ranks ninth nationally in goals against average at 1.21. With 296 career saves, Millen ranks seventh all-time at Temple.
Leading the Owls on offense, defense and as a team co-captain has been senior Molly Doyle. Her eight goals rank second on the team, as do her 19 total points. She has anchored a defensive unit that has recorded five shutouts, and was named the BIG EAST Player of the Week in early September after leading the Owls to a 3-0 upset of then-#6 Penn State.
About Connecticut...
The Huskies were ranked as high as #2 in the NFHCA Coaches Poll just two weeks ago, but have now dropped to #8 after three straight losses. Last week, UConn was shutout 5-0 by then-#10 Old Dominion before suffering a 2-1 loss against #2 North Carolina. The Huskies started the season 11-0 before losing their first game on Oct. 6, 4-3 in overtime vs. #9 Boston College.
Junior forward Chloe Hunnable leads UConn with 16 goals and 36 total points, while senior forward Marie Elena Bolles is close behind with 12 goals and 33 total points. Senior Sarah Mansfield has played every minute in goal for UConn, recording six shutouts so far this season.
