Author Archives: Joey Cranney

Men’s soccer looks for first win against James Madison

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Despite losing his first game of the season 1-0 to Virginia Tech, men’s soccer coach David MacWilliams said he was encouraged by his team’s play.

“I think we played extremely well,” MacWilliams said. “We just didn’t get any great chances.”

The Owls will now look to Sunday’s matchup against James Madison for their first win in 2012.

“We’re playing at their home field and they have a quality striker in [senior midfielder Paul] Wyatt,” MacWilliams said. “They scored six goals last night so I think it’s going to be a tough game for us.”

In what may have come as a surprising move to most people, sophomore goalie Dan Scheck got the starting nod over junior Bobby Rosato in the season opener. MacWilliams acknowledged that each were supposed to see action in the game, but Rosato was hurt during warm-ups.

“They both had great preseasons,” MacWilliams said. “They were both playing on the same level in my opinion. Scheck may have even been a little bit ahead.”

The 13th year head coach was not happy about the lone goal of the game. Virginia Tech’s Jed Prater was assessed with a penalty kick in the 55th minute after the Owls were called for a foul near the end line. Prater was able to slip the ball passed Scheck for the game-winner.

“I think the only person that thought it was a foul was the official who called it,” MacWilliams said.

The Owls look to bounce back against James Madison, who are coming off a lopsided 6-1 win over St. Bonaventure, today at 2:30 PM.

-Tyler Sablich

Field hockey in need of boost versus Rutgers

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After coming off two straight losses against Duke and Virginia, the field hockey team is looking to bounce back Sunday at 1 p.m. against Rutgers.

Coach Amanda Janney said that a win would be a big step.

“It would be huge,” Janney said. “Because if we don’t come out with a win, it kind of negates a little bit of our success this past weekend even though we didn’t win either day, we know that we played great.”

With the Owls looking to improve from last weekend, they are seeing a future conference opponent in Rutgers. Next season when Temple makes it all-sports move into the Big East, it will be joining Rutgers amongst many other teams.

Janney said that beating Big East teams such as Rutgers helps boost the confidence of younger players who will be in the new conference for the coming years.

“It’s perfect for their confidence, since they will have already seen a Big East team and they won’t be intimidated by them,” Janney said.

According to Janney, Rutgers has a similar playing style as many teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference.

“Rutger is like many A-10 teams,” Janney said. “They’re scrappy and aggressive, and just not a very a pretty style of hockey, but it’s going to be an aggressive battle.”

With young aggressive players, such as freshman midfielder Taylor Shronk and sophomore forward Amber Youtz, the Owls are looking to out hustle Rutgers this Sunday.

-Colin Tansits

Volleyball named Big 5 tournament champion

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After a draining loss to Villanova in the early game of in the Big 5 tournament on Saturday, the volleyball team defeated La Salle 3-0 in the late game and was named Big 5 tournament champion.

“We know that’s someone that we have to beat,” senior Chelsea Tupuola, who was named tournament MVP, said of La Salle. “Our team has heart, we know that.”

“Because we had such a heartbreaking loss to Villanova, it was really good that we stayed together as a team,” coach Bakeer Ganes said. “We were able to grind it out and beat La Salle in three, because it easily could have gone four, maybe five sets. We were worn out physically and mentally.”

Temple was able to put together runs at crucial points to close out both the first and second sets. In both sets, La Salle took early leads but the Owls were able to respond in both to close each set out, winning the first set 25-22 with a late surge and the second set 25-20.

In the third and final set, Temple wasted no time jumping out to an early lead, and cruised to a 25-12 victory.

“It might have looked easy from here, but it certainly wasn’t down there,” Ganes said. “It was hard work and we knew that going in it was going to be a lot of work”

Tiffany Connaster led the way for the owls with a double-double of 36 assists and 13 digs, while junior Elyse Burkert added 12 kills for the Owls.

“We know La Salle, we played them four times last year, so we’re used to playing them,” Connaster said.

-Kyle Hall and Darius Bartolomei

Men’s soccer hopes to build off season opener

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Men’s soccer coach David MacWilliams looks for tonight’s opener against Virginia Tech to be a confidence builder.

“I think the first game usually gives us confidence and energy, and then we just kind of go from there,” MacWilliams said. “You’re always searching for that first win, especially on the road.”

The Owls get the 2012 season underway in Harrisonburg, Va. as they compete in the James Madison Tournament. Following tonight’s matchup against the Hokies, they will face James Madison on Sunday before returning for the home opener at Ambler Campus on Tuesday.

The club has bared the brunt of some bad news this past week heading into the opener. Junior defenseman Drayt Friedman has been confirmed to still have concussion-like symptoms, an injury he sustained late last season. There is no timetable for Friedman’s return, who played a big role on the team’s defense last year.

Furthermore, coach MacWilliams’ son Matt has chosen not be apart of the team this season. MacWilliams started 13 games last year as a junior. His only goal was a game-winner against Jacksonville on Sept. 16.

The Owls also lost out on a high school All-American recruit, whose name could not be revealed.

“His grades just weren’t good enough,” MacWilliams said.

Virginia Tech is coming off a season in which they won only four games, one coming in Atlantic Coas Conference play. Forward Mikey Minutillo led the team in goals (5) and points (11) last season as a sophomore.

The Owls are set to play the Hokies tonight at 5 p.m.

-Tyler Sablich

Volleyball set for Big 5 Tournament

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After bouncing back to win the last two games of the South Carolina Invitational last weekend and salvaging a 2-2 record before its return home, the volleyball team will participate in the annual Big 5 Tournament at the Palestra this weekend.
The Owls dropped two out of three in this same tournament last season, losing to Penn 1-3, Villanova 0-3 and beating La Salle 3-1. They will have a chance to play the same three teams, Penn on Friday night at 7 p.m., and Villanova and La Salle Saturday at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively.
Penn has yet to play a match this season while La Salle is 1-3 with their lone win coming against Niagara. Villanova is 2-1 so far after beating Robert Morris and New Hampshire and losing to Maryland.
Temple started 0-2 but won its last two matches to get to .500. They’ve been led by junior Elyse Burkert, with 54 kills, on offense. She has been aided by sophomore Tiffany Connatser, who leads the team with 123 assists. Senior Chelsea Tupuola and junior Gabriella Matautia have led the defensive effort with 46 and 37 digs, respectively.
-Brandon Stoneburg

Jourdan Brill named to all-tournament team

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Senior midfielder Jouran Brill, who recently began her senior year at Temple, walked away from the Fairfield Inn by Marriot tournament in Harrisonburg, Va. from Aug. 24-26 with a spot on the all-tournament team.

“I am going to be completely honest, I had no idea that there even was an all-tournament team for that tournament,” Brill said. “I knew I played two good games, but I had no idea. I was really excited and really surprised.”

With three of Temple’s 13 total shots in the tournament, Brill also added the team’s only goal of the weekend in the 3-1 loss against Hofstra, eventually earning her the honor of all-tournament team.

“I actually found out from my teammates on the bus after the tournament was over that I was named to the all-tournament team,” Brill said.

Although Temple lost both matches of the weekend, Brill said that her most memorable moment of the tournament was leading nationally ranked Hofstra 1-0 for most of the first half.

“She was fantastic, very competitive, and did everything we asked of her,” coach Matt Gwilliam said. “She truly earned it and I am happy for her.”

Women’s rowing coach resigns

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Jason Read, an Olympic gold medalist, has resigned from his position as head coach of the women’s rowing team.

Read will be replaced by former assistant coach Rebecca Smith Grzybowski, who has been with the team for one year.

Read, a gold medalist from the 2004 Athens games, resigned to pursue other professional opportunities.

Grzybowski helped oversee a Temple rowing team that placed third at the Atlantic 10 Conference Championships last year. Fall physicals for the women’s rowers begin next Wednesday, Sept. 5.

Field hockey hosts high school clinic

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After their 2-1 loss to No. 5 Duke, the field hockey team hosted a clinic for high school and middle school girls last Sunday at Geasey Field.

Former Olympian Carrie Lingo, who recently retired from field hockey before the 2012 Olympic Games and had been on the U.S. National Team since 2002, was the guest coach.

Lingo played in Beijing in the 2008 Games, and was a big part of Team USA reaching the Olympics.

Coach Amanda Janney said that being able to attract young fans and then have them work on their skills on the field after the game is a special thing to do.

“We had the time that we wanted to do two hours of skill work with the kids,” Janney said. “And we had a good turn out with over 30 kids, and eight middle school kids which is great to help them develop skills at an early age.”

The camp consisted of different skill station rotations, working on various moves and skills. Janney and her assistants worked with both Lingo and current players on the Owls’ squad.

But Janney said that one of the best parts of the whole clinic was having an Olympian there.

“Its really good for the girls on our team to meet an Olympian, and I think we have some girls on our team that can make it to the next level and be on the national team,” Janney said. “But I think they don’t quite understand how close [making the national team] is to their grasp.”

The clinic brought players from all over to work with both college athletes and coaches a like, and for Janney the experience was worth the time.

“I think it was really cool to have both young girls and our girls meet [Lingo],” Janney said. “It was a great opportunity to not only work on their skills but to dream bigger.”

-Colin Tansits

Fencing announces recruiting class

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The fencing team will add five recruits to its roster, including three locals, one Oregon native and a Mexican native, for the 2012-13 season, it was announced in a press release Wednesday.

Demitria Antipas (Stony Brook, N.Y.), Jessica Hall (Parsippany, N.J.), Olivia Wynn (Somerville, N.J.), Petea Khan (Beaverton,Ore.) and Fatima Laragaespada (Puebla, Mexico) will join coach Nikki Franke’s squad this season.

“I am very happy with the quality of fencers we have joining our program this season,” Franke said in the press release.  “They are all hard workers and we’re looking forward to steady growth throughout their time here at Temple. They add considerable depth to our roster.”

Antipas, Laragaespada and Wynn will join the team as foilists, while Hall competes at epee and Khan at sabre fencer. The Owls finished last season No. 10 at the NCAA Championships and a 24-8 record overall.

The fencing season begins at home on Oct. 27 at the Temple Open.

Volleyball bounces back with first win of season

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The volleyball team defeated UNC-Asheville in straight sets, 25-16, 25-21, 25-20 to pick up its first win of the season in the South Carolina Invitational Saturday morning.

Junior Elyse Burkert led the way for the Owls with 17 kills, while sophomore Tiffany Connatser added 35 assists and junior Gabriella Matuatia held things down on defense with 15 digs.

Temple will have a chance to make it a winning streak later today when it takes on the Akron Zips at 5 p.m. to conclude the weekend.

–Brandon Stoneburg