Temple University Athletics
Friday, September 23
Storrs, Conn.
3:00 p.m.
Temple University
at
UConn
Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University
Field Hockey Travels to #3 UConn and Sacred Heart This Weekend
9.22.16 | Field Hockey
PHILADELPHIA - For this first time this season, Temple field hockey will play outside of Philadelphia as the Owls travel to face No. 3 UConn as well as Sacred Heart. Temple (1-7, 0-1) and UConn (7-0, 1-0) will meet in Storrs, Conn., on Friday, Sept. 23 at 3 p.m., while the Owls will face Sacred Heart (0-8) on Yale's home field in New Haven, Conn., at 3:30 p.m. Sunday.
The Owls are looking for their first BIG EAST win after a tough, 3-2 overtime loss to Providence in their conference opener last Friday. 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.
Goalkeeper Maddie Lilliock was named the BIG EAST Freshman of the Week on Sept. 19 after strong performances vs. Providence and Monmouth, and was also named the Phila Field Hockey Rookie of the Week. She tied her season high with 11 saves against the Friars, and added eight against the Hawks. Lilliock's 71 total saves lead all players in the league, while her 8.88 saves per game rank fifth in NCAA Division I. Freshman Becky Gerhart and senior Ali Meszaros each have three defensive saves in six games are tied for sixth among all players in NCAA Division I. The Owls' seven total defensive saves rank third in the nation. Junior Rachael Mueller leads Temple with three goals so far this season, while four other players have scored two goals apiece.
Temple trailed 2-0 to Providence in its BIG EAST opener on Sept. 16 before scoring two goals in the final six minutes of regulation to force overtime. Ten minutes into the extra period, Providence's Adrienne Houle scored the game-winner. The Owls' loss to Monmouth saw no score in the first half, but the Hawks took leads of 1-0 and 2-1 before Temple tied the game for a second time. Ultimately, it was a penalty stroke in the 60th minute that won the game for Monmouth.
Three of Temple's losses have come to teams now ranked in the top 12 as of the Sept. 20 NFHCA Coaches Poll (No. 1 Syracuse, No. 4 Penn State and No. 12 Delaware). The Owls will face their third top-five opponent in UConn on Friday, and will face No. 17 Old Dominion on Oct. 7.
Scouting UConn
The Huskies, three-time defending BIG EAST champs, are ranked third in the nation and are undefeated at 7-0. UConn has defeated three teams ranked in the Top 20, including a dominating, 8-0 victory over #14 Virginia in its most recent contest on Sept. 18. UConn won back-to-back NCAA Championships in 2013 and 2014 before advancing to the NCAA Semifinals in 2015. Junior Charlotte Veitner, the Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year and a first team All-American last season, leads the Huskies with eight goals and six assists in 2016. UConn has a trio of other players who have scored five or more goals.
UConn leads Temple 9-2-1 in the all-time series, and has won the last eight straight meetings between the teams.
Scouting Sacred Heart
The Pioneers are off to a tough start in 2016, still looking for their first win with an overall record of 0-8. Last weekend, Sacred Heart lost 5-2 at Brown and 3-0 vs. Dartmouth. The Pioneers went 2-14 last season but returned 18 letterwinners this year. They were picked to finish fourth of seven teams in the Preseason MAAC Coaches Poll. Hired just before the start of the 2016 season, head coach Sydney Van Der Merwe is in his first season at the helm of the program.
Temple and Sacred Heart have met just once previously, with Temple winning 3-0 at home in 2013.
UConn Live Stats l Sacred Heart Live Stats l Game Notes
The Owls are looking for their first BIG EAST win after a tough, 3-2 overtime loss to Providence in their conference opener last Friday. 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.
Goalkeeper Maddie Lilliock was named the BIG EAST Freshman of the Week on Sept. 19 after strong performances vs. Providence and Monmouth, and was also named the Phila Field Hockey Rookie of the Week. She tied her season high with 11 saves against the Friars, and added eight against the Hawks. Lilliock's 71 total saves lead all players in the league, while her 8.88 saves per game rank fifth in NCAA Division I. Freshman Becky Gerhart and senior Ali Meszaros each have three defensive saves in six games are tied for sixth among all players in NCAA Division I. The Owls' seven total defensive saves rank third in the nation. Junior Rachael Mueller leads Temple with three goals so far this season, while four other players have scored two goals apiece.
Temple trailed 2-0 to Providence in its BIG EAST opener on Sept. 16 before scoring two goals in the final six minutes of regulation to force overtime. Ten minutes into the extra period, Providence's Adrienne Houle scored the game-winner. The Owls' loss to Monmouth saw no score in the first half, but the Hawks took leads of 1-0 and 2-1 before Temple tied the game for a second time. Ultimately, it was a penalty stroke in the 60th minute that won the game for Monmouth.
Three of Temple's losses have come to teams now ranked in the top 12 as of the Sept. 20 NFHCA Coaches Poll (No. 1 Syracuse, No. 4 Penn State and No. 12 Delaware). The Owls will face their third top-five opponent in UConn on Friday, and will face No. 17 Old Dominion on Oct. 7.
Scouting UConn
The Huskies, three-time defending BIG EAST champs, are ranked third in the nation and are undefeated at 7-0. UConn has defeated three teams ranked in the Top 20, including a dominating, 8-0 victory over #14 Virginia in its most recent contest on Sept. 18. UConn won back-to-back NCAA Championships in 2013 and 2014 before advancing to the NCAA Semifinals in 2015. Junior Charlotte Veitner, the Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year and a first team All-American last season, leads the Huskies with eight goals and six assists in 2016. UConn has a trio of other players who have scored five or more goals.
UConn leads Temple 9-2-1 in the all-time series, and has won the last eight straight meetings between the teams.
Scouting Sacred Heart
The Pioneers are off to a tough start in 2016, still looking for their first win with an overall record of 0-8. Last weekend, Sacred Heart lost 5-2 at Brown and 3-0 vs. Dartmouth. The Pioneers went 2-14 last season but returned 18 letterwinners this year. They were picked to finish fourth of seven teams in the Preseason MAAC Coaches Poll. Hired just before the start of the 2016 season, head coach Sydney Van Der Merwe is in his first season at the helm of the program.
Temple and Sacred Heart have met just once previously, with Temple winning 3-0 at home in 2013.
UConn Live Stats l Sacred Heart Live Stats l Game Notes
Players Mentioned
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