Temple University Athletics
Photo by: Zamani Feelings
Field Hockey Ready For Exciting 2020-21 Campaign
2.10.21 | Field Hockey
PHILADELPHIA - Following the cancelation of the 2020 fall season by the BIG East due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Temple field hockey is ready to get back on the pitch and compete for the first time in over a year.Â
"We're very excited to get back out there," head coach Susan Ciufo said. "It's been a challenging 16 months for our ladies, but I'm really proud of the staff and the team for getting us to this point. We're ready to start the season."Â
Strong Foundation
In its first year under Ciufo, the program saw major improvements. Recording five more wins in 2019 than the previous season, the Owls also snapped an 18-game BIG East losing streak with a 2-1 double-overtime victory at Georgetown. Temple finished the season at 56 in RPI, jumping 10 spots from 2018's finish.
The Owls conceded 47 fewer goals in the 2019 season compared to 2018, allowing just 26 in 2019. The team also allowed 72 fewer penalty corners. Seven of the team's losses were decided by just one goal, four more than in 2018.Â
"We were happy with the transition in our first year, which was mostly on the defensive end," Ciufo said. "We're getting smarter with double defending and applying pressure when we need to as a unit. Now we're focused on our ability to possess the ball, how threatening we are on the attack, and goal-scoring opportunities. We still have work to do but we're starting to see it connect. We've moved some of our positions around, and we have a really solid group of returners and freshmen."
Veteran Leadership
Temple returns seven starters from last year's campaign. Dani Batze returns as 2019's leading scorer, with four of her six goals being game-winners. The Eden, Md. also led the team in shots (31), points (12), and her five defensive saves tied for eighth in the nation. Her 16 career defensive saves tied for fourth among NCAA active players.
Batze will anchor the backline with Nienke Oerlemans, the team's leader in assists with six. Cristina Carotenuto returns for her final season in the cage, coming up big for the Owls in 2019 with four shutouts and a .729 save percentage.Â
"Our returners have been putting in the work to be consistent and earn that starting position," Ciufo said. "Dani and Nienke are brilliant in the backfield and they give a strong base to Cristina in the net. McKenna Burkhardt has really stepped up, and since we moved her from midfield to left back she's been a warrior. Kerrie Lorenz, Tali Popinko, Annie Judge, and several other returners have seen significant minutes in the past few years so they're going to add a lot of value."
New Faces
The Owls have added nine newcomers to the squad in the offseason, including seven freshmen, one transfer, and one graduate student. All nine are expected to be a force and contribute early on.
"Our freshmen and newcomers are really unique," Ciufo said. "They're all hard workers and just a fun group. Kaitlyn Cummins is going to play in the spine. Her skill set is silky smooth and she plays brilliantly in the middle. Veronika Novakova is our graduate student, and she's a bulldozer. She and Kaitlyn complement each other really well. Myrthe Schuilenburg coming in on the forward line is a burst of energy, and she adds an intensity to the program. Cassie Romczuk isn't afraid to lay out for the ball. We're being meticulous about the people we're bringing into the positions that we need to develop and make sure we're capitalizing on our goal-scoring opportunities."
Challenging Schedule
The Cherry and White will see an exciting schedule, with the 17-game slate featuring 12 conference meetings and eight home contests. In a change in BIG East play, conference matchups will be played in three two-game series and two four-game home-and-home series. Temple will get the chance for non-conference play throughout the season, facing in-city rivals Drexel and La Salle as well as Delaware, Monmouth, and Hofstra.Â
"We've got a challenging schedule this season," Ciufo said. "We face Liberty and Villanova four times, so the mental game behind it is going to be the biggest thing that stands in our way. Our ability to work through that and see development can create a lot of wins for us as we get into the season."
Temple will open the season on North Broad, hosting Hofstra on Feb. 12 at 1 p.m.Â
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"We're very excited to get back out there," head coach Susan Ciufo said. "It's been a challenging 16 months for our ladies, but I'm really proud of the staff and the team for getting us to this point. We're ready to start the season."Â
Strong Foundation
In its first year under Ciufo, the program saw major improvements. Recording five more wins in 2019 than the previous season, the Owls also snapped an 18-game BIG East losing streak with a 2-1 double-overtime victory at Georgetown. Temple finished the season at 56 in RPI, jumping 10 spots from 2018's finish.
The Owls conceded 47 fewer goals in the 2019 season compared to 2018, allowing just 26 in 2019. The team also allowed 72 fewer penalty corners. Seven of the team's losses were decided by just one goal, four more than in 2018.Â
"We were happy with the transition in our first year, which was mostly on the defensive end," Ciufo said. "We're getting smarter with double defending and applying pressure when we need to as a unit. Now we're focused on our ability to possess the ball, how threatening we are on the attack, and goal-scoring opportunities. We still have work to do but we're starting to see it connect. We've moved some of our positions around, and we have a really solid group of returners and freshmen."
Veteran Leadership
Temple returns seven starters from last year's campaign. Dani Batze returns as 2019's leading scorer, with four of her six goals being game-winners. The Eden, Md. also led the team in shots (31), points (12), and her five defensive saves tied for eighth in the nation. Her 16 career defensive saves tied for fourth among NCAA active players.
Batze will anchor the backline with Nienke Oerlemans, the team's leader in assists with six. Cristina Carotenuto returns for her final season in the cage, coming up big for the Owls in 2019 with four shutouts and a .729 save percentage.Â
"Our returners have been putting in the work to be consistent and earn that starting position," Ciufo said. "Dani and Nienke are brilliant in the backfield and they give a strong base to Cristina in the net. McKenna Burkhardt has really stepped up, and since we moved her from midfield to left back she's been a warrior. Kerrie Lorenz, Tali Popinko, Annie Judge, and several other returners have seen significant minutes in the past few years so they're going to add a lot of value."
New Faces
The Owls have added nine newcomers to the squad in the offseason, including seven freshmen, one transfer, and one graduate student. All nine are expected to be a force and contribute early on.
"Our freshmen and newcomers are really unique," Ciufo said. "They're all hard workers and just a fun group. Kaitlyn Cummins is going to play in the spine. Her skill set is silky smooth and she plays brilliantly in the middle. Veronika Novakova is our graduate student, and she's a bulldozer. She and Kaitlyn complement each other really well. Myrthe Schuilenburg coming in on the forward line is a burst of energy, and she adds an intensity to the program. Cassie Romczuk isn't afraid to lay out for the ball. We're being meticulous about the people we're bringing into the positions that we need to develop and make sure we're capitalizing on our goal-scoring opportunities."
Challenging Schedule
The Cherry and White will see an exciting schedule, with the 17-game slate featuring 12 conference meetings and eight home contests. In a change in BIG East play, conference matchups will be played in three two-game series and two four-game home-and-home series. Temple will get the chance for non-conference play throughout the season, facing in-city rivals Drexel and La Salle as well as Delaware, Monmouth, and Hofstra.Â
"We've got a challenging schedule this season," Ciufo said. "We face Liberty and Villanova four times, so the mental game behind it is going to be the biggest thing that stands in our way. Our ability to work through that and see development can create a lot of wins for us as we get into the season."
Temple will open the season on North Broad, hosting Hofstra on Feb. 12 at 1 p.m.Â
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Players Mentioned
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