Women’s Soccer Falls 2-1 to UCF in Hard-Fought Match

Thursday, September 27

Temple Sports Complex

3:30 P.M.

Temple University

5-7

UCF

4-3-1

UCF

Temple University

Photo by: Kim Rollins

Women’s Soccer Falls 2-1 to UCF in Hard-Fought Match

9.27.18 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA— Temple women's soccer (5-7, 1-2 AAC) fell to a strong conference opponent in UCF (4-3-1, 1-0 AAC) 2-1 in a tough, physical battle at the Temple Sports Complex.

Keys to the Match
> UCF got on the scoresheet first, as Jessica Taylor found the back of the net in the 44th minute off a Konya Plummer assist.
> The Knights struck again in the 48th minute. Their leading scorer, Zandy Soree, put UCF ahead 2-0.
> Despite being down two goals, the Owls showed resilience in the 60th minute when Morgan Morocco found the ball at her feet and ripped a shot toward the UCF net. The UCF keeper deflected the shot and Gabriela Johnson tracked it down. She collected the ball and buried it between the posts for her third goal of the season and to cut the deficit to one.

Match Notes
> In the first two minutes of play, UCF had two corner kick opportunities. Temple set the defensive tone early and thwarted solid looks from the Knights to keep them off the board.
> Sarah McGlinn pressured the UCF defense in the fifth minute and fired a soaring shot from the top of the box. The attempt ricocheted off the crossbar.
> Marissa DiGenova nearly facilitated a Kerri McGinley score in eighth minute of the match. DiGenova fed a leading pass to McGinley in the box and she raced after it. The UCF keeper came off her line to contest and made the save.
> Following Johnson's goal to cut the UCF lead to one, Temple had several quality opportunities to net an equalizer. In the 63rd minute the Owls earned a corner, and it was taken by Emily Keitel. She served a beautiful ball into the box that found the head of Djavon Dupree. Dupree directed a header toward the net, but it found the gloves of the Knights' keeper. Within 30 seconds, Marissa DiGenova levied another dangerous shot on goal. DiGenova fired a bending ball from the top of the box, and the keeper came off her line to save the attempt.
> In the 86th minute, Morgan Basileo made a key save to prevent the Knights from tallying a third goal. UCF's Kristen Scott was one-on-one with Basileo and she made a great play to keep Temple within striking distance.
> Johnson is now second on the team in points (7) and tied with Jules Blank for second in goals (3).
> Morocco contributed to her second goal of the season and now leads the Owls with two assists.

Quotable
"The girls played excellent, but we took two minutes off and it cost us," said head coach Seamus O'Connor. "We played 88 minutes instead of 90 and it cost us the game… Those 88 minutes we were excellent, they were the new standard for us. To go after [UCF] like that was phenomenal."

Next Up
> Temple hosts another Florida-based conference foe on Sunday, Sept. 30. The Owls will take on the USF Bulls at the Temple Sports Complex at 1 p.m.