NCAA Bracket
GLASSBORO, NJ – The Rowan University field hockey team will play Lebanon Valley College on Saturday, November 14 at 2 p.m. in the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. The second and third round games will be held at Messiah College on Saturday and Sunday, November 14 and 15.
In the first game on Saturday, Eastern University faces Messiah College at 11 a.m. In the opening round (Nov. 11), Lebanon Valley advanced with a 9-0 shutout over Wittenberg University and Eastern defeated Stevens Institute of Technology, 1-0 (2OT).
The two second round winners meet in the third round on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. The semifinals and final of the national tournament are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, November 21 and 22 at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA.
Rowan has an overall record of 14-4. The field hockey team received an automatic bid to the national tournament as the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) champion. This is Rowan’s 17th appearance and fifth straight in the NCAA tournament. The Profs won the national championship in 2002 and finished the season undefeated with a 21-0 record. Rowan advanced to the national semifinals in 1998 and 2000 and the quarterfinals in 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2008. Last year, Rowan defeated Trinity College, 5-4 (1OT) in the second round and lost to Messiah, 2-1 (2OT) in the third.
Forward Lauren Ross (jr. Gloucester City, Gloucester) is Rowan’s leading scorer with 38 points. She has totaled 18 goals and two assists. Ross was selected the NJAC Attack Player of the Year. Back Kacey Ehret (sr. Collingswood, NJ/Collingswood) was named the conference’s Defense Player of the Year. Ehret starts on a defense that has a 1.20 goals against average (GAA). Jenna Lombardo (sr. Barnegat, NJ/Southern Reg.) was chosen the NJAC Midfielder of the Year. She has added eight points with one goal and six assists.
Forward Nicole Valianti (jr. Oaklyn, NJ/Collingswood) is second on the team with 28 points. Valianti has scored 12 goals and assisted on four. Forward Julie Cairone (so. Medford, NJ/Shawnee) has contributed with 10 goals and five assists for 25 points. Cairone was a NJAC All-Conference honorable mention selection.
Goalie Lisa Apt (so. Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) was picked the conference’s Goaltender of the Year. Apt has started every game and registered 81 saves in 18 games. She has a 79.4 save percentage and a 1.23 goals against average. She has recorded five shutouts. Back Lauren Conner (so. Egg Harbor Twp., NJ/Egg Harbor Twp.), Apt, Ross, Ehret and Lombardo were members of the NJAC All-Conference first team. Conner has added eight points with three goals and two assists.
Lebanon Valley (18-3) received an at-large bid to the tournament. It is LVC’s 15th trip to nationals and fifth straight. Eastern (18-4) earned an automatics as the Freedom Conference champion. This is Eastern’s second straight appearance and fifth overall to the NCAA tournament.
Against Wittenberg, forward Jocelyn Novak led Lebanon Valley with three goals. Forward Caitlin Vasey contributed with two goals and one assist while forward Shelly Lobach added two goals. Forwards Allison Bicher and Danielle Blasé each scored once. LVC outshot Wittenberg, 32 to four. Goalie Caitlin Baro made three saves for her sixth shutout on the season.
Novak is the team’s leading scorer with 67 points. She has accumulated 32 goals and three assists. Lobach is second with 43 points (14-15) followed by Vasey with 40 (13-14). Vasey was named the Commonwealth Conference’s Rookie of the Year. Lobach received All-Conference first team honors.
Novak was a member of the Commonwealth All-Conference second team. Bicher has registered 13 goals and eight assists for 34 points.
Also scoring in double figures is midfielder Jenni Walker with 18 points (3-12). Forward Cait Eckenrode and midfielder Nikki Bomberger each have 17 points followed by midfielder Avery Carter with 15. Bomberger, Carter and Blasé were all chosen to the All-Conference first team. Blasé has nine points with four goals and one assist. Walker was selected to the Commonwealth All-Conference second team along with Baro. In 21 games, Baro has stopped 80 shots for a 78.4 save percentage. She has a 1.12 goals against average.
Messiah (19-0) is making its 23rd appearance in the NCAA Championship Tournament. The Falcons have finished second six times (2006, 2005, 2002, 2001, 1995, 1984) and they were third six times. Last year, Messiah lost to Tufts University, 5-2 in the semifinals. The Falcons won the Commonwealth Conference title for an automatic bid to this year’s tournament.
