University of Rochester Athletics

GLASSBORO, NJ – The most successful season in Rochester field hockey history came to a close in the NCAA Division III quarterfinals on Sunday afternoon as host and 3rd-ranked Rowan University defeated the Yellowjackets 4-0.
 
The win moves Rowan (22-0) into the NCAA Final Four for the fourth time in school history while Rochester concludes the season with a 19-3 overall record, a school best win total and school best winning percentage (.864).
 
The Profs scored twice just 23 seconds apart to pull ahead in the ninth minute, added a goal just before halftime and then capped the scoring with a tally with under four minutes to play in the game.
 
Rowan nearly made it 1-0 in the fourth minute off the first penalty corner of the game.  A top of circle PC shot was tipped at the left post by inserter Krystyna Hovell into the pads of UR goalkeeper Kate Kujawa.  A rebound attempt by Hovell slipped behind the keeper, but Rochester senior defender Kate Tiffany was there to clear the ball off the line for a big defensive save early on.
 

Five minutes later, the Profs struck for the opening goal off another corner.  This time an edge of circle shot from Julie Johnson was sent bouncing toward the cage.  Camped in front, Rachel Galante lifted the ball using a backhand tip over the top of Kujawa and into the goal for a 1-0 Rowan lead.
 
Shortly after the restart, Rowan regained possession and sent the ball up to Hovell who juked a defender, streaked into the circle and lined a hard shot into the top side of the net.
 
UR's first penetration into the Rowan zone came in the 18th minute after Leona Fisher gathered a long pass and dribbled into the left side of the circle, but her drop pass looking back for a teammate was intercepted and cleared away by Rowan.
 
The Yellowjackets then earned their first corner of the contest in the 23rd minute behind some strong stickwork from senior co-captain Nancy Bansbach.  On the corner, Banbach lifted a ball from the left wing which was saved by Prof keeper Morgan Novak.  The save was tipped right to the post where Catherine Hauser was waiting, but Hauser's follow-up attempt trickled just wide of the net.
 
With six minutes remaining in the first half, UR earned four straight penalty corners, leading to four total shots, two each by Maya Haigis and Courtney Dunham.  Two of Haigis' shots were saved, while Dunham hit the post off a rebound and had another shot blocked.
 
Rowan added a third goal with just 30 seconds left in the opening period.  An initial shot from Molly Gorczyca was saved by Kujawa, but the rebound was scooped up by Kristiina Castagnola and lifted over the UR keeper who was down making the initial save.  UR's Tiffany was there in time for another defensive save, but just couldn't swipe the ball out of mid-air.
 
After an early Rowan PC and a pair of shots, Rochester controlled possession and generated most of the good scoring chances during the second half.
 
In the 44th minute, Bansbach had a nice dribble around the defense from the right corner, slipped a pass into teammate Jennifer Lee, but her shot from a tough angle hit the side of the cage.
 
70 seconds later, Haigis took a hard backhand drive from the left wing off a corner, but Novak got a clear look for the save.  Another Haigis blast, this time a forehand one-timer on UR's next corner again was saved, with Emma Schlecter's follow up scoop shot getting sent wide left.
 
At the 49 minute mark, Bansbach had another goal scoring opportunity narrowly miss.  This time, a long pass set her up for a 1-on-1 with a Prof defender who she beat along the left side, but her shot which got by Novak in goal, trickled wide of the right post.
 
Rowan had a good look for a fourth goal at 51:42, but a hard penalty corner shot which was deflected by inserter Bridge Boyle right into the chest of Kujawa at the left post was saved point blank.  Kujawa finished with 10 saves on the day, while Novak made seven stops in net for Rowan.
 
The Profs ended up getting that final score though with under four minutes on the clock.  Galante recorded her second of the game, gathering up a rebound of a Gorczyca shot and slipping the ball past Kujawa and two UR defenders into the net.
 
Overall in the contest, Rochester was outshot 24-13, and earned nine corners to Rowan's 12, but the second half stats were nearly identical with shots and corners going 7-7 and 4-4 respectively.
 
Rowan moves onto the national semifinals to face #2 ranked Middlebury College in a matchup next weekend.  The national tournament semis and finals will be played at the Spooky Nook Complex in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.