Field Hockey Heads to No. 7 Penn State on Friday Night

Friday, September 1

State College, Pa.

6:00 p.m.

Temple University

Penn State

Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University

Field Hockey Heads to No. 7 Penn State on Friday Night

8.31.17 | Field Hockey

Game Notes Watch Live Live Stats

PHILADELPHIA - The first of two nationally ranked opponents in a row awaits Temple field hockey in the Owls' only game this week, as they head to State College to take on #7 Penn State at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 1. Temple started off its season with two home games, but will play its next five contests in a row on the road.

Scouting the Owls
> The Owls opened the 2017 season with two games at home, but are still looking for their first win after falling 4-1 to Saint Joseph's and 3-1 to Bucknell.

> Starting with Friday's game at #7 Penn State, Temple will play five games in a row on the road. The first two of those are against Top 25 teams, as the Owls will next travel to #14 Northwestern on Sept. 8.

> Senior Rachael Mueller and redshirt senior Sarah Keer are the Owls' lone goal-scorers so far in 2017.

> Temple finished strong last season with an appearance in the BIG EAST Semifinals, but looks to improve its overall record this year after going 7-12 in 2016.

> The Owls will be led by three co-captains this season in seniors Maiyah Brown, Hattie Kuhns and Mueller.

> Mueller, an All-BIG EAST Second Team selection in 2016 and a Preseason All-BIG EAST honoree this year, is the team's leading returning scorer, posting 10 goals as a junior. Sophomore Maddie Merton returns as the squad's second-leading goal-scorer with six goals in her debut campaign.

> Sophomore goalkeeper Maddie Lilliock started all 19 games in the cage for the Owls in her rookie season, posting a save percentage of .667.

> Temple has been picked to finish fifth of eight teams in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches Poll, and will need to better that pick by at least one to earn a berth in the BIG EAST Tournament at Providence on Nov. 3 and 5. The Owls have made 14 straight appearances in a conference tournament, including all four seasons for which they've been a part of the BIG EAST.

Scouting the Nittany Lions
> No. 7 Penn State has defeated two other Top 25 teams in its first two games of 2017, taking down No. 23 Old Dominion 3-2 in its season opener, and beating No. 10 Virginia 4-2.

> The Nittany Lions have earned an NCAA Tournament berth in six of the last seven seasons. As the second seed in last year's Big Ten Tournament, PSU won the title. They were later upset by Princeton in the NCAA First Round.

> Penn State had three players named to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team in Aurelia Meijer, Skyler Fretz and Gini Bramley.

> Head coach Charlene Morett-Curtiss is in her 32nd year at the helm of the NIttany Lions, with a record of 468-183-8.

Series History vs. Penn State
> Penn State leads the all-time series against Temple, 33-2-1. The Nittany Lions have won three straight since the Owls earned a 3-0 upset win in State College in 2013.

Next Up
> Temple will play two games in Evanston, Ill. next weekend. The Owls first take on #14 Northwestern at 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 8, before facing Kent State at 2 p.m. the following day.