PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA — UTSA dominated Temple 3-1 Thursday night, with the Roadrunners' superior attacking prowess overwhelming the Owls' defense in a lopsided affair. Playing on the road, UTSA controlled the tempo and created consistent scoring opportunities, ultimately overwhelming a Temple side that managed just three shots on goal. The victory improved UTSA's record to 8-5-5 while Temple fell to 4-15.
Michelle Polo opened the scoring in the 11th minute, assisted by Leah Varela and Brooklyn Bailey, giving UTSA an early advantage. Ava Jackson doubled the lead in the 22nd minute with help from Kameron Kloza, putting the Roadrunners firmly in control. Temple responded with a goal to cut the deficit in half, but UTSA's third goal from Zoë May in the 59th minute—set up by Jackson and Bailey—essentially sealed the result and sent the home crowd into silence.
The first half belonged to UTSA, which dictated play from the opening whistle. The Roadrunners generated multiple chances through their attacking midfield, with Jackson and Bailey combining effectively on the wing. Temple struggled to establish any meaningful possession, and when the Owls did venture forward, they found little success against UTSA's organized backline. By halftime, the visitors had already established a 2-1 advantage despite Temple's goal, reflecting the clear difference in quality between the two sides.
Temple made adjustments at the break, bringing fresh legs into the match. The Owls pressed higher and created some dangerous moments early in the second half, but UTSA's defense held firm. The turning point came when May found the back of the net in the 59th minute, effectively putting the game out of reach. From that point forward, Temple's resistance crumbled, and UTSA controlled the final stages with relative ease.
The statistical disparity told the story. UTSA outshot Temple 21-10 overall and 12-3 on target, demonstrating complete dominance in chance creation. The Roadrunners also won the corner-kick battle decisively, earning 10 corners to Temple's two. UTSA's goalkeeper made just two saves while Temple's keeper was forced to make nine stops, a telling indicator of where the pressure lay throughout the 90 minutes.
Jackson and Bailey were instrumental in UTSA's attack, combining for multiple assists and creating constant problems down the flank. May's late goal capped an active performance from the Roadrunners' forward line. For Temple, Sabrina Campbell drew a yellow card late in the match for unsporting conduct, a reflection of the Owls' frustration as the game slipped away.
The loss extends Temple's struggles. The Owls have now lost their last two matches and sit near the bottom of their conference standings with a concerning 4-15 record. UTSA, meanwhile, bounced back from consecutive defeats to Memphis and East Carolina with this convincing road victory, demonstrating the quality that has kept them competitive this season.
UTSA returns home to face its next opponent while Temple hosts its next match at home, looking to stop the bleeding against a struggling schedule.