Field Hockey Edged 4-3 at #19 James Madison

Friday, September 25

Harrisonburg, Va.

7:00 p.m.

Temple University

(3-6)

James Madison

(6-2)

Temple

James Madison

Redshirt freshman Maris Stern

Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University

Field Hockey Edged 4-3 at #19 James Madison

9.25.15 | Field Hockey

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va. - The Temple field hockey team earned a slight edge in total shots and penalty corners after an impressive second half, but ultimately the Owls (3-6) came up one goal short in a 4-3 loss to #19 James Madison on Friday night. The Dukes (6-2) scored early on their home field and that single goal would prove to be the difference.

"I was happy to see we continued to fight throughout the game," said Temple head coach Marybeth Freeman, "and our bench made some really quality contributions. Our team as a whole is putting in the effort, and the energy is there, but we need to find a way to make it more productive."

All of Temple's goals were scored in the second half after James Madison took a 1-0 lead into halftime. The Owls finished the game with a 9-6 advantage in penalty corners and a 13-12 edge in total shots. Three different players scored for Temple, including senior Alyssa Delp who leads the Owls with eight total goals this season.

JMU's Loes Stijntjes scored the only goal of the first half on a direct penalty corner in the ninth minute of the game.

The Owls had trouble getting much going offensively in the first half, earning just one penalty corner and getting two shots on goal. Redshirt freshman Maris Stern took both of those shots back-to-back, but both were saved by JMU goalkeeper Sara Kraeutler.

Temple senior goalkeeper Haley Mitchell made three first-half saves to keep the Dukes to just a single goal, and ensure the Owls were down just one at the break. Mitchell would go on to make six saves in the contest.

"I thought in the first half we did a great job possessing the ball and using our speed and the length and width of the field nicely," said Freeman, "but where we got loose in our skills was in our defensive 25. We were soft on those balls."

The opening six minutes of the second half featured most of the game's scoring. JMU scored just over two minutes in to take a 2-0 lead, but the Owls got on the board just over two minutes later.

Stern was rewarded for her aggressive play offensively, with her third shot on goal resulting in the Owls' first tally of the game in the 40th minute.

The frenetic pace to open the second half continued with the Dukes regaining their two-goal lead in the 42nd minute. Danni Wilson scored the JMU goal on a rebound off a shot and save by Mitchell.

Five minutes later, the Owls were awarded a penalty stroke and Delp was given the chance to pull Temple within one. For the second time in two stroke attempts this season, Delp made it count to keep the Owls in the game.

Midway through the second half, the Owls earned four penalty corners in three minutes, but all three resulting shots on goal were saved by JMU.

Following that stretch, the Dukes earned a corner and made it a two-goal game, but the Owls had one more answer in them to make it an exciting finish. With 5:32 remaining, sophomore Rachael Mueller deflected a shot by Delp to the high left post to pull Temple within one, but it was as close as they could get.

Temple pulled Mitchell from goal and the Dukes were whistled for a pair of yellow cards in the final minute, but the Owls were unable to take a shot to tie the game.

Temple will finish its weekend road trip on Sunday, Sept. 27 with a 2 p.m. game at American in Washington, D.C.

Box Score (PDF)