Temple University Athletics
Friday, September 16
Howarth Field
6:05 p.m.
Temple University
vs
Providence
Senior Ali Meszaros
Photo by: Tommy Meehan
Field Hockey Hosts Providence in BIG EAST Opener Friday on BEDN
9.14.16 | Field Hockey
PHILADELPHIA - It's a fresh start for Temple field hockey as the Owls begin BIG EAST Conference play at home on Friday, Sept. 16 at 6 p.m. against Providence. The BIG EAST Digital Network (BEDN) is televising the game, which can be seen live on Fox Sports Go and the Fox Sports Go app.
The Owls' homestand continues on Sunday with a 1 p.m. game against Monmouth. Prior to the game, Temple will hold a clinic open to any and all levels of players from grades 6-12. Click HERE for more information.
Headlines
» The Owls are looking to wipe the slate clean with the beginning of BIG EAST Conference play after going 1-5 to open the season.
» Temple was picked to finish fourth of eight teams in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches Poll, and will need to match that pick or better to earn a berth in the BIG EAST Tournament the Owls will host Nov. 4 and 6.
» Last weekend saw Temple come up short against a pair of CAA opponents, No. 10 Delaware and Drexel. The Owls scored two first-half goals against Delaware but trailed 4-2 at halftime and ultimately lost, 5-2. Temple was down just 2-1 against Drexel until the final two minutes when the Dragons added their third of three penalty corner goals on the afternoon.
» Sept. 4 saw the Owls earn a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over La Salle. Senior Katie Foran scored two of the Owls' three second-half goals, including the game-winner, to lead Temple to the win after trailing 2-0 at halftime.
» This weekend's games are the fifth and sixth in a six-game homestand for the Owls, who play 11 of their 18 regular-season games at Howarth Field in 2016.
» Temple field hockey celebrated the grand opening of Howarth Field on Sept. 2 when the Owls hosted No. 18 Penn State. The field is named in recognition of a $500,000 gift from field hockey alum Cherifa (Nouri) Howarth and her husband, Greg.
» Three of Temple's losses have come to teams now ranked in the top 15 as of the Sept. 13 NFHCA Coaches Poll (No. 1 Syracuse,  No. 5 Penn State and No. 12 Delaware).
» Freshman Maddie Lilliock has started all six games in goal so far for Temple. She made nine saves vs. Syracuse, 10 saves against La Salle and a season-high 11 against Delaware. Lilliock's 8.67 saves per game rank seventh in NCAA Division I.
» Coming off an 8-13 season and a second-straight appearance in the BIG EAST Championship game, Temple has a new look in 2016 after the loss of 10 seniors to graduation.Â
» Freshman Becky Gerhart and senior Ali Meszaros each have three defensive saves in six games are tied for second among all players in NCAA Division I. The Owls' six total defensive saves rank third in the nation.
Scouting Providence
The Friars have won four of five since dropping their season opener, with the lone loss coming in double OT against Northeastern. In their most recent game, Providence defeated Rider, 3-1 on Sept. 11. Senior foward/midfielder Adrienne Houle leads the Friars with five goals, while senior forward/midfielder Emily Humiston has the team lead with three assists. Junior goalkeeper Megan Guilbert has played every minute in the cage with 24 saves to 11 goals allowed. The Friars went 4-14 last season and finished in a tie for third in the BIG EAST. Providence returned 12 letterwinners from last year's squad, including six starters, and added nine newcomers to the roster.
Temple leads Providence 4-1 in the all-time series, having won all four games until last year's 1-0 loss in a shootout after four scoreless periods. The Owls' last win was a 4-3 overtime decision on the road in 2014.
Defensively-Minded
With three defensive saves over five games so far in 2016, freshman Becky Gerhart and senior Ali Meszaros are tied for second among all players in NCAA Division I. With six defensive saves as a team, the Owls rank third in the nation. Freshman Maddie Lilliock's 8.67 saves per game rank seventh in the nation, and the Owls' 9.83 saves per game as a team rank sixth.
Inaugural Season on Howarth Field
The 2016 season is the inaugural year for Temple field hockey's new stadium. The Owls are playing for the first time on Howarth Field at the brand new Temple Sports Complex, and had a grand opening celebration at their home opener against Penn State on Friday, Sept. 2. The new complex just south of Temple's Main Campus was completed in August, and also serves as the home for lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, and women's track & field.Â
The $22 million project, started in September 2015, features two playing fields. The space for field hockey and lacrosse, at the southern end of the property by 13th Street and Girard Avenue, is named Howarth Field in recognition of a $500,000 gift from former field hockey student-athlete Cherifa Howarth, '98, and her husband, Greg. Â
Overcoming Adversity
The 2016 season has not gotten off to the kind of start Temple would have hoped for, but the Owls have experience in turning things around. Last year, an eight-game mid-season losing streak which included four ranked opponents and six one-goal decisions, gave way to an upset win at No. 12 Old Dominion on Oct. 20 that sparked Temple to five straight wins. The second-to-last of those (against Villanova) got the Owls into the BIG EAST Tournament, where they took down Villanova yet again for a spot in the championship game.
Tough Lineup for Temple in 2016
As of the NFHCA Preseason Top 20 Coaches Poll for Sept. 13, five of Temple's opponents are nationally ranked. The Owls have already faced No. 2 Syracuse (now No. 1), No. 18 Penn State (now No. 5) and No. 10 Delaware (now No. 12). Still upcoming on the schedule are No. 5 UConn (Sept. 23) and No. 13 ODU (Oct. 7).
Watch Live l Live Stats l Game Notes
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The Owls' homestand continues on Sunday with a 1 p.m. game against Monmouth. Prior to the game, Temple will hold a clinic open to any and all levels of players from grades 6-12. Click HERE for more information.
Headlines
» The Owls are looking to wipe the slate clean with the beginning of BIG EAST Conference play after going 1-5 to open the season.
» Temple was picked to finish fourth of eight teams in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches Poll, and will need to match that pick or better to earn a berth in the BIG EAST Tournament the Owls will host Nov. 4 and 6.
» Last weekend saw Temple come up short against a pair of CAA opponents, No. 10 Delaware and Drexel. The Owls scored two first-half goals against Delaware but trailed 4-2 at halftime and ultimately lost, 5-2. Temple was down just 2-1 against Drexel until the final two minutes when the Dragons added their third of three penalty corner goals on the afternoon.
» Sept. 4 saw the Owls earn a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over La Salle. Senior Katie Foran scored two of the Owls' three second-half goals, including the game-winner, to lead Temple to the win after trailing 2-0 at halftime.
» This weekend's games are the fifth and sixth in a six-game homestand for the Owls, who play 11 of their 18 regular-season games at Howarth Field in 2016.
» Temple field hockey celebrated the grand opening of Howarth Field on Sept. 2 when the Owls hosted No. 18 Penn State. The field is named in recognition of a $500,000 gift from field hockey alum Cherifa (Nouri) Howarth and her husband, Greg.
» Three of Temple's losses have come to teams now ranked in the top 15 as of the Sept. 13 NFHCA Coaches Poll (No. 1 Syracuse,  No. 5 Penn State and No. 12 Delaware).
» Freshman Maddie Lilliock has started all six games in goal so far for Temple. She made nine saves vs. Syracuse, 10 saves against La Salle and a season-high 11 against Delaware. Lilliock's 8.67 saves per game rank seventh in NCAA Division I.
» Coming off an 8-13 season and a second-straight appearance in the BIG EAST Championship game, Temple has a new look in 2016 after the loss of 10 seniors to graduation.Â
» Freshman Becky Gerhart and senior Ali Meszaros each have three defensive saves in six games are tied for second among all players in NCAA Division I. The Owls' six total defensive saves rank third in the nation.
Scouting Providence
The Friars have won four of five since dropping their season opener, with the lone loss coming in double OT against Northeastern. In their most recent game, Providence defeated Rider, 3-1 on Sept. 11. Senior foward/midfielder Adrienne Houle leads the Friars with five goals, while senior forward/midfielder Emily Humiston has the team lead with three assists. Junior goalkeeper Megan Guilbert has played every minute in the cage with 24 saves to 11 goals allowed. The Friars went 4-14 last season and finished in a tie for third in the BIG EAST. Providence returned 12 letterwinners from last year's squad, including six starters, and added nine newcomers to the roster.
Temple leads Providence 4-1 in the all-time series, having won all four games until last year's 1-0 loss in a shootout after four scoreless periods. The Owls' last win was a 4-3 overtime decision on the road in 2014.
Defensively-Minded
With three defensive saves over five games so far in 2016, freshman Becky Gerhart and senior Ali Meszaros are tied for second among all players in NCAA Division I. With six defensive saves as a team, the Owls rank third in the nation. Freshman Maddie Lilliock's 8.67 saves per game rank seventh in the nation, and the Owls' 9.83 saves per game as a team rank sixth.
Inaugural Season on Howarth Field
The 2016 season is the inaugural year for Temple field hockey's new stadium. The Owls are playing for the first time on Howarth Field at the brand new Temple Sports Complex, and had a grand opening celebration at their home opener against Penn State on Friday, Sept. 2. The new complex just south of Temple's Main Campus was completed in August, and also serves as the home for lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, and women's track & field.Â
The $22 million project, started in September 2015, features two playing fields. The space for field hockey and lacrosse, at the southern end of the property by 13th Street and Girard Avenue, is named Howarth Field in recognition of a $500,000 gift from former field hockey student-athlete Cherifa Howarth, '98, and her husband, Greg. Â
Overcoming Adversity
The 2016 season has not gotten off to the kind of start Temple would have hoped for, but the Owls have experience in turning things around. Last year, an eight-game mid-season losing streak which included four ranked opponents and six one-goal decisions, gave way to an upset win at No. 12 Old Dominion on Oct. 20 that sparked Temple to five straight wins. The second-to-last of those (against Villanova) got the Owls into the BIG EAST Tournament, where they took down Villanova yet again for a spot in the championship game.
Tough Lineup for Temple in 2016
As of the NFHCA Preseason Top 20 Coaches Poll for Sept. 13, five of Temple's opponents are nationally ranked. The Owls have already faced No. 2 Syracuse (now No. 1), No. 18 Penn State (now No. 5) and No. 10 Delaware (now No. 12). Still upcoming on the schedule are No. 5 UConn (Sept. 23) and No. 13 ODU (Oct. 7).
Watch Live l Live Stats l Game Notes
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Players Mentioned
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