Field Hockey Hosts #6 Penn State in Home Opener Friday; Faces Fairfield on Sunday

PHILADELPHIA – The Temple field hockey team hopes to earn a win this weekend as the Owls host two opponents after opening the season in California a week ago. Temple will face #6 Penn State on Friday, Aug. 31 at 6 p.m. before hosting Fairfield on Sunday, Sept. 2 at noon.

Promotions
> The first 500 fans will receive a FREE 2018 Field Hockey schedule at Friday's game against #6 Penn State.
> All Temple campers will get a FREE gift by showing their voucher at the marketing table at Sunday's game against Fairfield.

Scouting Temple
> Temple comes off a tough opening weekend after losing 3-2 in the final minute to UC Davis and falling short at Pacific, 3-0.
> Senior goalkeeper Chloe Johnson made a career-high 12 saves at Pacific, and sophomore back Dani Batze made one defensive save in each of the opening two games, making her the BIG EAST leader with two defensive saves so far.
> Sophomore Mia Sexton and redshirt sophomore Sam Souder both scored for Temple at UC Davis. It was the second career goal for Sexton, and the first career point for Souder.
> The Owls have seven returning starters in 2018 and are led by team captains Maris Stern (redshirt senior midfielder), Nellie Doyle (senior back) and Kathryn Edgar (junior midfielder).
> Temple struggled in 2017, going 4-14 and 0-7 in BIG EAST play.
> The biggest loss for the Owls to graduation was Rachael Mueller, an All-BIG EAST Second Team honoree who led Temple with six goals and 16 total points. Edgar had a team-best five assists and ranked second with nine total points.
> Three of Temple's losses a year ago were against nationally ranked teams, while another loss was to Saint Joseph's, later also ranked in the Top 25. On this year's slate are five teams ranked in the NFHCA Preseason Top 25.
> With 13 defensive saves, the Owls ranked second among all teams in NCAA Division I in 2017. Batze led the way with four defensive saves (14th in the nation), and Doyle was right behind her with three defensive saves (25th in the nation).

Scouting Penn State
> The Nittany Lions are coming off a 17-5 season that saw them advance to the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals before falling 4-3 to #1 UConn.
> Penn State opened the season with a home win against #7 Virginia. Senior Gini Bramley scored the lone goal in a 1-0 victory and the Nittany Lions' defense held strong with senior goalkeeper Jenny Rizzo picking up her 10th career shutout.
> The Nittany Lions return 11 athletes with starting experience in 2018 including Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and All-Region First Team selection Moira Putsch as well as Rizzo, also an All-Region First Team honoree.
> Putsch led Penn State with 57 points off 21 goals and 15 assists last season while Bramley scored 25 points off 10 goals and five assists. Rizzo notched a 1.33 goals against average last year with 113 saves and a .796 save percentage.

Scouting Fairfield
> The Stags are coming off a 9-12 season that saw them win the MAAC Championship and advance to the NCAA Tournament before falling 5-0 to #19 Boston University.
> Fairfield opened the season with 3-1 win against Lafayette after falling 4-0 to the Leopards in the 2017 season. The Stags then hosted Villanova in their second game of 2018 and again won by a score of 3-1. They will play at Drexel on Friday night before heading to Temple on Sunday.
> Danielle Profita returns to the Stags as the team's top returning scorer. Profita scored two goals in the first two games of the season against Lafayette and Villanova.
> The Stags lost Hannah Pike, MAAC's 2017 tournament MVP, to graduation. Pike led the team in points last season with nine goals and six assists totaling 24 points.

Series History vs. Penn State
> Penn State leads the all-time series against Temple, 34-2-1. The Nittany Lions have won four straight since the Owls earned a 3-0 upset win in State College in 2013. Last year, Temple fell 5-0 to the seventh-ranked Lions.

Series History vs. Fairfield
> Temple leads the all-time series against Fairfield, 4-1-0. The Owls won four straight games before falling 1-0 to the Stags in overtime on the road last season.

Fan Information
> The events at Howarth Field/Temple Sports Complex are free of charge, and street parking is available. Vehicles may also utilize the paid ($20) Temple Tower parking lot located at 1646 N. 13th Street.