March 19, 1998

PHILADELPHIA - On Wednesday, March 18, the Villanova Wildcats fell to the Temple Owls, the No. 2-ranked team in the country, 24-5, at Temple's Geasey Field in Philadelphia. The Wildcats record fell to 1-2 while the Owls improved to an unblemished 3-0 record.

Temple jumped out to an early lead scoring just 0:50 into the contest when the Owl's Alex Ovchinnikoff scored the first of her seven goals. Temple continued to score 14 goals in the first half before the Wildcats found a way to beat Owl goalie, Iris Alvarado (7 saves). Villanova sophomore Molly O'Connor, from Towson, Md., put the Wildcats on the board with 38.4 seconds remaining in the first half.

In the second half, Villanova refused to give up without a fight as junior Meghan Doyle, from Cockeysville, Md., scored the first two goals of the second half. Doyle, the Wildcats leading scorer, finished the afternoon with three points (two goals, one assist) bringing her season total to 12 points (nine goals, three assists). Both senior Maria McCusker, from Suffern, N.Y., and freshman Terri Overturf, from Havertown, Pa., found a way to beat the Temple net-minder in the second half.

Temple refused to surrender their lead and managed to score 10 second half goals securing their No. 2 ranking and their undefeated record. The Owls were led by Claudia and Alex Ovchinnikoff who combined for 15 of Temples 24 goals (eight and seven, respectively).

On Saturday, March 21, at 1pm the Wildcats will host Harvard at Villanova Stadium.