Temple and Penn Get First League Victories
Games of October 2 – 7, 2023
October 9, 2023 –
It can be described as almost an even week for the local Division I teams as the overall record was 2 – 4 – 2 with all teams playing league contests. The Temple Owls have an American victory on their ledger. Meanwhile, the University of Pennsylvania earned an Ivy League win, their initial Ancient Eight triumph. Let’s take a further look at the details.
Penn Quakers (3 – 3 – 3, 1 – 1 – 1 Ivy League
We can say that the Quakers are running the picket fence for the season with their record overall and in the Ivy League. The team leveled the records defeating the Big Red of Cornell 1 – 0 at Rhodes Field. The Red and Blue remains undefeated at home. The game winner came off a penalty kick in the 59th minute. Junior forward Stas Korzeniowski converted a penalty kick to give the Quakers all they needed. Goalie Nick Christoffersen made 3 saves to his second clean slate of the season. Penn was outshot 10 – 3, but only a trio got to Christoffersen. The final non-conference game awaits the Red and Blue when Monmouth comes to Penn Park on Tuesday.
Temple Owls (1 – 5 – 3, 1 – 2 – 1 The American)
This is a big victory for the young Owls who had 3 shots on goal and made them all count in the 3 – 0 win over Florida Atlantic, their fellow Owls, at the Temple Sports Complex. It was the highest number of goals scored in a single game this season by the Cherry and White. Sophomore midfielder Felix Ewald put two in the back of the net to become the first Temple player to score multiple goals in one game this year. He leads the team in goals with 3 and in points earning 7. Junior defenseman Aaron Markowitz got the other goal, the first of the game in the 11th minute. The Owls goalie, senior Andrew Kempe, made 4 saves to record the shutout. It was his first for Temple. Next up for the Cherry and White is a October 10 road game against the Orange of Syracuse.
Villanova Wildcats (1 – 4 – 4, 1 – 2 – 1 BIGEAST)
The Villanova Wildcats played to a 3 – 3 tie with the Seton Hall Pirates at the Higgins Soccer Complex. All six goals were scored in the second half. The first half was played in wind and rain. A goal by junior forward Vincent Petrera in the 84th minute gave Nova a 3 – 2 lead. But the Hall would answer 2:22 later on a penalty kick goal by Andrea Borg. Petrera scored two goals on the day. Senior midfielder Dominic Cyriacks had the other goal 4:21 into the latter half. Each time Villanova scored, Seton Hall would find the equalizer. In shots on goal the hosts had a 10 – 6 advantage. Nova has a win, loss, and tie over their last three games. The Cats take to the pitch on Tuesday at Maryland.
Drexel Dragons (5 – 1 – 4, 2 – 1 – 3 CAA)
Another 3 – 3 draw. This one was at Vidas Field as the Drexel Dragons and Delaware Blue Hens played to an even game. Drexel is 4 – 0 – 3 over their last seven games. Midfielder Antonio Illuminato (via penalty kick), senior forward Dominick Bachstein, and junior defenseman Ori Arzi got the goals for the Dragons. Arzi put the team ahead with the score, unassisted, in the 64th minute. It was his first goal of the season. Delaware tied the contest at the 88:47 mark. The stats were somewhat close but favored Delaware having a 17 – 13 edge in shots, 6 – 5 in shots on goal, and 9 – 6 in corner kicks. Drexel has two more league games to play, but they step out of conference on Tuesday for a match at Lehigh.
Saint Joseph’s Hawks (3 – 9 – 1, 1 – 3 – 1 Atlantic 10)
Saint Joseph’s fell twice over the week, both in conference, and both by 2 – 1 scores. In the Bronx Fordham got a goal in the 68th minute to win it. At home against UMass the decider came in the 53rd minute. The Hawks scored the first goal of the game each time. At Fordham sophomore midfielder Luke Johnson went low left on a breakaway. On Sweeney Field senior midfielder Fletcher Caponecchia took a centering pass from junior forward Blake Driehuis and hit the back of the net just 2:45 into the game. But SJU could not hold either lead. The Hawks are on a four-game losing streak. The team will try to get back on track on Saturday at Davidson.
La Salle Explorers (4 – 5 – 3, 1 – 2 – 2 Atlantic 10)
La Salle lost their first games in the Atlantic 10, and were blanked in each game. Loyola of Chicago visited McCarthy Stadium and took home a 3 – 0 victory. La Salle had but one shot and it was not on goal. At Saint Louis a Billikens goal in the 85th minute proved to be the difference. This time the Explorers got three shots and none would require a save. Saint Louis had 22 shots, 5 on goal. Explorer goalie sophomore Filip Sabatti saved four. La Salle looks to end the losing streak playing a non-conference game at Lafayette on Tuesday.
Written By: Glenn Papazian
Contact: Glenn@PhillyCollegeSports.com
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