Box Score
GRANTHAM, PA – The Rowan University field hockey team lost to Lebanon Valley College, 3-0 in the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament on Saturday. The second and third round games are being held at Messiah College.
In the first game on Saturday, Messiah College defeated Eastern University, 3-0. Messiah (20-0) meets Lebanon Valley (19-3) in the third round on Sunday at 3 p.m. The winner advances to the national semifinals against the third round winner of the Trinity College (CT) and Ursinus College game. 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.
In the NCAA first round (Nov. 11), Lebanon Valley advanced with a 9-0 shutout over Wittenberg and Eastern defeated Stevens Institute of Technology, 1-0 (2OT). Rowan ends the season with a 14-5 record. The Profs received an automatic bid to the national tournament as the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) champion. This was Rowan’s 17th appearance and fifth straight in the NCAA tournament.
Forward Jocelyn Novak (so. Brodheadsville, PA/Pleasant Valley) led the Dutchmen with two goals and one assist. Forward Caitlin Vasey (fr. Doylestown, PA/Central Bucks E.) contributed with a goal and back Nikki Bomberger (sr. Lititz, PA/Warwick) added an assist.
LVC totaled 13 shots and Rowan took six. Goalie Caitlin Baro (sr. Douglassville, NJ/Pottsgrove) stopped four shots for her seventh shutout on the season. Profs’ goalie Lisa Apt (so. Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) made seven saves.
Vasey put the Dutchmen up 1-0 at the half with a goal at 21:58 that was assisted by Novak. In the second period, Novak scored her first goal (38:50) on a pass from Bomberger. Novak had an unassisted goal at 40:47. It was her 34th goal of the year.
Lebanon Valley received an at-large bid to the tournament. It is LVC’s 15th trip to nationals and fifth straight. Messiah 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. Messiah won the Commonwealth Conference title for an automatic bid to this year’s tournament.
