Box Score GLASSBORO, NJ – Rowan University advanced to the finals of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship Tournament on Thursday night after a 3-1 victory over Kean University. The set scores were 25-21, 17-25, 25-18 and 25-21.
 
The Profs (23-8), seeded second, play at the top seed Richard Stockton College (29-5) on Saturday, November 9 at 1 p.m. in the championship match.  The NJAC champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. 

In the other semifinal, Richard Stockton College defeated Montclair State University, 3-0.  Kean (22-14) was seeded third in the NJAC tournament while Montclair State (19-12) was the fourth seed.
 
Setter Rebecca Dantonio (fr. Glen Mills, PA/Garnet Valley) recorded 44 assists and nine digs. Dantonio went over the 1,000 assists mark in the second set. Middle hitter Morgan Mende (so. Glen Rock, NJ/Glen Rock) collected 14 kills, while outside hitter Danielle Havlicek (so. Midland Park, NJ/Midland Park) tallied nine kills and eight digs. Middle hitters Elaina Hansen (sr. Monroe Twp., NJ/Monroe Twp.) and Dakota Oeskovic (sr. Pine Beach, NJ/Toms River S.) added 12 and 10 kills respectively. Libero Casey Grasso (sr. Wilmington, DE/Alexis I. duPont) had 14 digs.
 
For Kean, outside hittier Aysia Peterson (jr. Scotch Plains-Fanwood, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) collected 20 kills. Setter Alana Aranjo (jr. Newark, NJ/Science Park) had 50 assists, while middle hitter Kaitlyn Hansen (sr. Edison, NJ/Edison Twp.) recorded 17 kills. Defensive specialist Lisa DeGroot (so. Laguna Beach, CA/Capistrano Valley) tallied 17 digs and defensive specialist Jen Espinal (jr. Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) added 10 digs.
 
Rowan trailed midway through the first set 13-9, but a 7-4 run gave the Profs a 16-13 lead that they would never relinquish. Kean got to within 24-21, but Rowan scored the final point of the set. Set two was tied at eight, but a 12-2 run by the Cougars made the score 20-10. The Profs tried to make a run, but Kean held on and took the set. The third set was close early on and the score was tied at  nine. Rowan used an 8-3 run to take a 17-12 lead. Kean could not get closer than four points the rest of way and the Profs won set three. The fourth set also started close as the teams were tied at 16. Rowan then scored four straight points to take a 20-16 lead. The Cougars cut the deficit to two points at 21-19, but the Profs scored four of the final six points to win the set and the match.
 
The bracket for the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship Tournament will be announced in the evening on Sunday, November 10.