Rowan Stuns No. 1 (Not for Long) TCNJ
from press release
EWING, N.J. -- Being a top-ranked team playing
at Lions’ Stadium has not been a safe position to be in the
last five days. After knocking off then top-ranked Salisbury, the
Lions moved into that spot and fell victim to an upset as visiting
Rowan University pulled out a 12-11 win on Thursday.
The loss was the first of the season for the Lions, as they dipped
to 10-1 overall, while it was also the program’s first loss
in the brief tenure of the sport in the New Jersey Athletic
Conference. TCNJ is now 2-1 in conference play after winning their
initial six NJAC contests.
The win kept the Profs unbeaten in conference play at 3-0, while
they moved to 8-4 overall.
In the first half, the Profs grabbed the lead at 3-2 on a goal off
the stick of Nicole Valianti (Oaklyn, NJ/Collingswood) with 24:02
left in the half and they would never relinquish that advantage the
rest of the game.
Rowan added to that lead holding a four-goal advantage on two
different occasions before the Lions made a late push to close that
gap to 8-7 at the break.
Sophomore Leigh Mitchell (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape) played a big role
in the comeback as she scored three of the team’s final four
goals of the period, while assisting on a score by sophomore
Kathleen Notos (Pennsauken, NJ/Camden Catholic).
In the second half, the teams went back-and-forth with Rowan
opening the scoring in the fresh period on a goal by Valianti
making it 9-7.
A low shot by TCNJ’s Ali Jaeger (Hampton, NJ/North
Hunterdon) closed the gap to 9-8 and the teams would follow that
theme the rest of the half.
Each time the Profs score a goal to push the margin back to two,
the Lions would again get it back as this happened four times in
the period.
The final surge by the Lions came with the Profs protecting a
12-10 lead as Mitchell set up senior Lisa Seldeen (Wayne, NJ/Wayne
Valley) for a goal with 1:21 remaining. TCNJ, however, was unable
to get that equalizer as Rowan won the ensuing draw control and ran
out the remaining time on the clock securing the upset.
Mitchell led all players offensively as she racked up seven goals
and two assists for a nine-point performance. Notos chipped in with
a pair of goals.
Valianti topped the Profs with four goals, while Ellen Brigham
(Oakton, VA/Oakton) recorded the hat trick.
In goal for the Profs, sophomore Kerry Pehnke (West Windsor,
NJ/West Windsor-Plainsboro North) made nine saves for the win.
Between the pipes for the Lions, Mary Waller (Bel Air, MD/C.
Milton Wright) recorded five saves.
TCNJ travels to Frostburg State University for a non-conference
game on Saturday, April 17, while the Profs don’t play again
until April 20 hosting Catholic University.
