Field Hockey Falls in Double Overtime to #12 Liberty, 3-2

Sunday, October 4

Geasey Field

1:00 p.m.

Temple University

(3-8)

Liberty

(7-3)

OT 3

OT 4

Liberty

Temple

Senior Tricia Light

Photo by: Ken Light

Field Hockey Falls in Double Overtime to #12 Liberty, 3-2

10.4.15 | Field Hockey

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - In a sudden death second overtime period, Temple field hockey fell 3-2 to visiting #12 Liberty on Sunday afternoon at Geasey Field. The Owls had an early lead in the game as well as momentum heading into overtime, but could only come up with a single shot on goal through 21 minutes of extra action.

Liberty's Ashlee Krulock tipped in a shot by teammate Erin Dombach for the game-winner just over six minutes into the second 15-minute overtime period.

Temple senior goalkeeper Haley Mitchell easily topped her previous career high of eight saves, making 12 in the contest. Four of those saves kept the Owls alive through the first overtime. Temple had seven shots on goal for the game and 12 overall, while Liberty took 30 shots including 16 on goal.

For the Owls, now 3-8, it was their fourth straight loss and sixth loss to a team ranked in the NFHCA Top 20 Poll. Liberty improved to 7-3 with the win.

Most of the first half was a stalemate, thanks in large part to five saves by Mitchell. Three of those saves came within seconds of each other in the 27th minute, keeping the game scoreless.

With six and a half minutes left in the first period, the Owls took advantage of a breakaway opportunity to get on the scoreboard. Tricia Light found an open Maiyah Brown on the far left, and Brown's strong shot rocketed into far right of the cage. The Owls took a 1-0 lead into the break.

Less than six minutes into the second half, Sarah Gipe scored for Liberty to tie the game. Pippa Best later gave the Flames a lead in the 55th minute, with an assist from Dombach.

Heading into the final nine minutes of regulation, the Owls were in a man-up situation after a yellow card on Liberty, and they made it count. Light received a pass from Paige Gross and shot it from eight yards out into the left corner, tying the game with eight minutes and 53 seconds to go.

The only shot taken in the remaining time was Liberty's, and it went wide. The Flames had four opportunities thwarted by Mitchell in the first overtime, and they also had four penalty corner chances to Temple's one.

Temple head coach Marybeth Freeman was proud of the resiliency the Owls showed in coming back to tie the game. "That's been our story all year," she said. "We have been very resilient. We've seen a lot of adversity this year, but we have to step above and beyond that. Every team has adversity. We have to continue to believe that we can succeed in those difficult times."

The Owls' next game will be its BIG EAST opener after having their game at ODU postponed this past Friday. Temple will host #1 UConn at 2 p.m. next Friday, Oct. 9.

Box Score (PDF)