RPI Vs. Rowan

Montclair, NJ – Sophomore forward Marisa Schoepflin (Sewell, NJ / Washington Township) poked in a rebound with 8:22 remaining which turned out to be the difference as Rowan University edged Rensselaer, 3-2 in an NCAA Division III field hockey matchup at Montclair State University’s Sprague Field on Saturday evening.

Juniors Julie Cairone (Medford, NJ / Shawnee) and Ashley Adams (Erial, NJ / Timber Cree Regional) each scored goals as the Profs improved to 7-4 on the season with their fourth win in the last five contests.

Freshman Kiersten Ryan (Levittown, PA / Harry S. Truman) and sophomore Alissa Peterson (Gaithersburg, MD / Quince Orchard) each scored for the Engineers, who fell to 3-7 on the year.

Ryan gave RPI a 1-0 lead 11:56 into the first half as she netted her first goal of the season. Sandy Turnbull (Upperville, VA / Chatham Hall) sent a looping pass from 45 yards out that got through several defenders. Ryan tracked the ball down and managed to flip a shot ahead of goalkeeper Lisa Apt (Mays Landing, NJ / Oakcrest) for the score.

Rowan would answer right back as Cairone redirected a shot from the top of the circle by Lauren Conner (Egg Harbor Township, NJ / Egg Harbor Township) past Briana Earle (Baldwinsville, NY / C.W. Baker) tying the game at 1-1. It was Cairone’s fifth goal.

The Profs would take the lead with 12:40 to go in the first half on the sixth goal of the year by Adams, who carried the ball through from 25 yards out on the left side to within five yards before depositing the ball into the left corner.

Rowan led 2-1 at the break.

In the second half, RPI managed to tie the game 8:50 into the half. Off a penalty corner, the ball came out of the circle. Peterson was able to track the ball down and moved back inside before unleashing a blistering shot to the far post for the goal as the Engineers deadlocked the game at 2-2.

Schoepflin put Rowan ahead for good at 61:38. Rachael Dix (Egg Harbor Township, NJ / Egg Harbor Township) fired a shot from the left side off a penalty corner. Earle would make the save however the ball trickled out toward the right post to Schoepflin, who banged in the rebound for her second goal.

RPI would get two solid chances to tie the game in the closing seconds. A tipped pass got through inside the circle to Jessica Corrigan (South Burlington, VT / Northfield Mount Hermon). Corrigan put a shot on goal that was stopped by Rowan’s Jen Goldberg (Clark, NJ / Arthur L. Johnson). Hannah Kaplan (Danbury, CT / Danbury) got the rebound but Goldberg would come with another save to end the threat.

Earle made six saves for RPI while Apt had one in 47:55 of action. Goldberg had the two stops in the final 22:05.

Rowan outshot RPI 15-6 and had an 8-5 edge in penalty corners.