MANHEIM, PA – The Rowan University field hockey team's season ended at the semifinals of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament on Saturday.  Middlebury College had a 4-2 win against Rowan.  
 
In the other semifinal game, Tufts University defeated Johns Hopkins University, 3-1.  On Sunday, Tufts (20-2) and Middlebury (20-1) play for the national title at 1 p.m. Middlebury is the defending national champion.  Last year, the Panthers had a 4-0 shutout over Messiah College for the NCAA Championship.  The final will be held at Spooky Nook Sports.  
 
Rowan ends the year with a 22-1 record and broke the school record for wins (21) in a season from 2002.  The Profs defeated the University of Rochester, 4-0 in the NCAA third round and the University of Lynchburg, 1-0 in the second round.  Rowan received an automatic bid to the postseason as the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Champions.  
 
Middlebury forwards Grace Jennings (sr. Ghent, NY/Hotchkiss School (CT)) and Danielle Brown (so. Needham, MA/Noble & Greenough School) each contributed with two goals.  Midfielder Marissa Baker (jr. Darien, CT/Darien) chipped in with two assists while Jennings had one.
 
photo gallery
Rowan press conference
Middlebury press conference

For Rowan, forwards Bridget Guinan (fr. Pottstown, PA/Owen J. Roberts) and Rachel Galante (sr. Mount Laurel, NJ/Collingswood) scored one goal apiece.  Guinan and Galante were named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team. Back Julie Johnson (sr. Mount Ephraim, NJ/Audubon) had an assist.
 
Middlebury edged Rowan in shots, 15-4 but the Profs had the advantage in penalty corners, 7-2.  The Panthers' goalie Megan Collins (sr. Greenwich, CT/Greenwich Academy) made six saves.  Goalie Morgan Novak (jr. Jackson, NJ/Jackson Mem.) stopped five shots for the Profs.
 
Rowan struck first with a goal on its first penalty corner. Forward Krystyna Hovell (fr. Gibbstown, NJ/Eastern Reg.) took the corner and Galante had a shot that was stopped by Collins.  Johnson knocked the ball back into the circle to the left side of the cage, which was deflected into the net by Guinan (2:52).  

Middlebury answered with an unassisted goal by Jennings a little over three minutes later.  Jennings tapped in her own rebound.  At 26:26, the Panthers went ahead 2-1.  Jennings carried the ball down the field and passed to Baker who then sent the ball back to Jennings who scored.  The first half was close with Rowan taking seven shots and Middlebury had six.
 
Middlebury led 3-1 after Brown scored at 40:47 with an assist from Baker.  Rowan cut the deficit to 3-2 (65:20) when Galante recorded her 30^thgoal on the season on a penalty stroke.  A minute later, Brown sealed the victory with a pass from Jennings.    
 
This year, Rowan was ranked as highest third in the NFHCA Poll.  The Profs were second in the South Atlantic Region in the final NCAA Region Rankings.  This was Rowan's 19^thtrip to the NCAA Tournament and first since 2012.