Temple improved to 8-2 over the weekend with a 2-1 win over Big East rival Rutgers and a 3-0 shutout of Sacred Heart.

The Owls have won five straight, keeping them within the nation’s top 20 for the fourth straight week.

This week’s Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll has the Owls in the No. 18 spot, placing them one spot behind the No. 17 ranking they held last week.

Temple has gotten off to its best start since 1990, but hasn’t moved up in the national rankings since taking the No. 11 spot back on Sept. 10.

A win on Friday night could change that.

The Owls will face conference opponent Louisville on Friday night, who at 7-2 is one spot ahead of Temple at No. 17.

Temple is 2-0 in Big East play after beating both Villanova and Rutgers, but Louisville will be the first ranked team it faces since shutting out the then No. 6 ranked Penn State 3-0 on Sept. 6.

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Freshman forward Katie Foran had a big weekend for the Owls and she is getting recognized for it.

Foran has been named the Big East Offensive Player of the Week after scoring three goals over the weekend.

She scored both of Temple’s goals in Friday’s 2-1 win over Rutgers and tallied the first goal in the 3-0 shutout of Sacred Heart on Sunday.

Foran is the third Owl to earn the award this season, joining senior midfielder/defender and co-captain Molly Doyle and junior forward Amber Youtz.