Oct. 30, 2004

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Sophomore Lauren Luft scored twice and classmate Nicole Antonini dished three assists to lead Saint Joseph's (11-7, 3-3 A-10) to a 3-1 victory over Temple (9-10, 3-3 A-10) on Finnesey Field. The victory secured SJU the program's fourth straight trip to the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament. Junior Katelyn O'Brien also scored for the Hawks and Antonini broke SJU's single season record for assist in the contest.

Temple kept SJU's high-powered attack in check most of the first half, but the Hawks broke through late netting a pair of goals just before intermission. Luft got the first at the 31:55 mark after SJU used some misdirection on a corner attempt. Antonini added the assist. O'Brien then gave St. Joe's some breathing room by scoring with just 30 seconds left before the break. Antonini fired the initial shot on goal and O'Brien redircted it with a tip in front of the cage.

Temple had several chances to take the lead midway through the first half. A shot that reached the back of the net on a penalty corner was waved off for being dangerous and SJU junior Hilary Moody picked up a defensive save when she swept an Owl shot out of danger.

In the second stanza, the Owls made things interesting when junior Rachel Barber punched home a rebound of a shot off the post to make it a 2-1 game with 23:28 left to play.

The Crimson and Gray iced the contest on a spectacular diving backhanded goal by Luft with under nine minutes to play. Antonini added her third assist of the game on the play.

TU goalkeeper Erin Conroy turned aside five Hawk shots, while SJU freshman Rebecca Cunfer had three stops, all coming late in the game to preserve the win.

SJU held a slight edge in shots, 19-12, but Temple managed a 9-6 advantage on corners.

With the the three assists in the game Antonini now has 15 helpers to set a new SJU single season mark, breaking the previous record of 13 set by Janna Watts in 1996.

SJU's victory coupled by La Salle's win over West Chester, secured the Hawks the third overall seed in the A-10 Tournament. The team will face Massachusetts on Friday in Amherst, Mass. The Owls backed into the tournament's final playoff spot and are the fourth seed.