University of Richmond
Temple
Despite Loss In Regular-Season Finale, Spiders Own Top-Seed In A-10 Tourney
11/01/2009 | Field Hockey
Nov. 1, 2009
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - The Richmond field hockey team already had clinched its sixth Atlantic 10 Regular-Season title in the last eight years on Friday, but the Spiders' bid for an undefeated conference record was spoiled in a 4-2 loss at Temple on Sunday.
Richmond (11-8, 5-1 Atlantic 10) will still be the top seed in the 2009 Atlantic 10 Tournament, which opens Friday at Massachusetts. The Spiders will play the fourth-seed and host UMass at 12:30 p.m., while No. 2 seed Saint Joseph's will play No. 3 seed Temple at 3 p.m.
The Spiders had their five-game winning streak ended Sunday, but Richmond will enter the 2009 Atlantic 10 Tournament having won seven of the last nine games.
Temple was playing for a spot in the Atlantic 10 Tournament with a 3-2 record entering Sunday's match. With a loss, the Owls would have been in a three-way tie with Massachusetts and West Chester.
The Owls scored 8:45 into the match and never trailed as they finished the A-10 season at 4-2 in a tie for second with Saint Joseph's.
All four of Temple's goals came after penalty corners with the first two coming on clean plays finished by Kristen Wanner, who's second goal 24:48 into the game put Temple up 2-0.
Richmond senior Adrian Pickar cut the lead to 2-1 when she scored on a breakaway off an assist from senior Sarah Blythe-Wood. The assist from Blythe-Wood was the 18th of her career, which ranks 11th on Richmond's all-time career list.
Temple pushed the lead back to two goals less than two minutes later when Bridget Settles scored off a redirection on a corner to make it 3-1.
Blythe-Wood scored her Atlantic 10-leading 19th goal 10:54 into the second half to pull the Spiders within one again, but with 11:52 remaining, Charise Young scored on a scramble off of a penalty corner.
"We were outplayed by a hungry Temple squad," Richmond head coach Gina Lucido said. "Our build-up play to attack was shut-down by a strong Temple midfield and our solid defensive play was lacking in our defensive circle. I thought Temple played a sharp game and we were not able to execute with any consistency. I am confident a different Spider team will take the field in Friday's A-10 semifinal match-up."
With a goal and assist, Blythe-Wood moved into fourth on Richmond's single-season points list with 48 and she is tied for fourth on the single-season list for goals (19). Blythe-Wood is now tied for sixth on Richmond's career list for points (84) and is seventh on the career list for goals (33).
Richmond out-shot Temple 10-9. Senior goalkeeper Jacki Raithel made four saves for the Spiders.
