PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania field hockey team earned its second win of the weekend as a pair of second half goals from sophomore duo Madison Jiranek and Maddy Fagan spearheaded the Quakers to a 2-1 victory over Temple.
 
NOTES
*Today's victory was Penn's fifth straight over Temple. Head coach Colleen Fink is now 5-1 against the Owls.
 
*Fagan netted her third goal of the weekend, a late strike which proved to be the game winner.
 
*Jiranek tied the game at 1-1 with a goal early in the third quarter. She now leads the Quakers with four goals and eight points.
 
*The Quakers launched a season-high 23 shots today. It is the fifth straight game where Penn has had at least 16 shots and the second time the Quakers have totaled at least 20 shots.
 
*Erin Quinn provided the assist on Fagan's game-winning goal, hitting a centered pass through a densely populated Temple circle. She now leads the Quakers with three assists.
 
*Meghan Ward provided the assist on Jiranek's game-tying goal. It is the first career point for the freshman forward.
 
*Penn's defense bunkered down today, allowing Temple just three shots on goal. Goalkeeper Ava Rosati did well to command within the circle, saving both of Temple's two shots on goal following the opening score and continually disrupting play.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Just a day after tallying its first win of the season, Penn started the game against Temple with a fierce tenacity. In the opening period, the Quakers led the Owls 9-1 on shots. However, one shot was all Temple needed as the Owls neatly converted on a corner to take an early 1-0 lead.
 
Penn continued to chip away at the Temple defense, possessing the ball for a majority of the second quarter. Alexa Schneck went close to equalizing for the Quakers. Her low driven shot beat the keeper off a corner, but Temple's Dani Batze was at the back post to make the defensive save and keep Penn off the board.
 
As was the case in Saturday's victory over Cornell, the Quakers upped their intensity in the second half to find the breakthrough. Within the first four minutes of the third quarter, Penn equalized.
 
Ward intercepted a Temple pass in the middle of the park to spark the attack. She dribbled up the right flank and fired a shot on goal. The Temple keeper reacted quickly to make the save, but the ball fell right to the stick of Jiranek who tapped it in to knot the game at 1-1.
 
The Quakers kept the same energy in search of the go-ahead goal. Ward and Elita van Staden both had opportunities in the circle, but the Temple keeper reacted well to make a pair of saves. Though chances were few and far between for the Owls, Rosati sprung into action following a Temple corner; making a save to prevent Temple from regaining its lead.
 
In the fourth quarter, an early yellow card on Erin Kelly put Penn a player down for a third of the final period. Once again, the defense came up big on an offensive surge for the Owls, denying the hosts on opportunities generated from a corner.
 
With just over five minutes remaining, the Quakers finally found the breakthrough. Quinn collected the ball on the left flank and drove toward goal. She sent a ball to the center of the circle, but it was sent right back by a Temple defender. Quinn collected once again and found Fagan right in front of goal. Fagan made no mistake from point-blank range, thumping the ball into the back of the cage.
 
Penn looked to extend its lead in the dying moments of the game with Kelly knocking a shot onto the post, but the one-goal lead would prove to be enough as the Quakers earned its second win of the weekend.
 
UP NEXT
Penn returns to conference play next weekend with a pair of games in New England. The Quakers will first head to Cambridge, Mass. to continue Ivy League play against No. 16 Harvard on Saturday, Oct. 5 before visiting Boston University on Sunday to take on the Terriers.