HOBOKEN, N.J. (September 30, 2009) – Sophomore Mallory Swanson scored twice over a span of 7:22 in the first half as the No. 16 Stevens Institute of Technology field hockey team knocked off No. 12 Rowan University on Wednesday afternoon at the De Baun Athletic Complex in front of a big Duck Country crowd. The win is the sixth straight for Stevens as the Ducks are now 8-1 overall (1-0 Empire 8) and 3-0 against New Jersey Athletic Conference foes.
The first half opened with Rowan controlling the ball deep in the Stevens end but having trouble creating any strong scoring chances. The Ducks' defense held together and thwarted several strong runs by the Profs and were able to make the transition and get on the offensive.
Stevens did not have a huge number chances in the game's first 35 minutes but made the most of both penalty corners it was able to create.
On the first corner, senior Erin Broderick hit out to the top of the circle and the ball was passed to senior Kara Borzillo who laced a shot that was blocked. Broderick got the rebound and fired a couple of quick shots that were denied by Rowan goalkeeper Lisa Apt (Mays Landing, N.J.). Eventually, the ball ricocheted to Swanson who was able to get off a strong shot that beat Apt to her left. It was her fifth goal of the season and it came at the 21:21 mark.
Less than eight minutes later, Swanson and the Ducks struck again in similar fashion. After Broderick started the corner, Borzillo keyed another offensive frenzy by the Ducks. The original attempt was blocked and freshman Mary Nikish put several shots on goal that Apt was able to stop as well. Once again however, Swanson was able to find the ball in a scrum and put it in for a 2-0 Stevens lead.
In total Stevens took 12 shots in the first half compared to Rowan's six as eight of the 12 Duck shots were on goal. Overall, Rowan controlled field position for about 60 percent of the first half but Stevens had and capitalized on the only true scoring chances.
In the second half, the Ducks came out strong and kept the ball deep in the Profs' zone but Rowan was able to eventually break out of its own end and force some of the action.
The Profs cut the lead in half at the 52:04 mark. Junior Lauren Ross (Gloucester City, N.J.) took a pass after the initial corner was put in play. Ross fired toward the middle of the net and senior Kate Hughes (Rosenhayn, N.J.) deflected it past Stevens' junior goalkeeper Ellyn Griggs. It was a perfect deflection in the upper-right corner of the goal.
Rowan had several solid chances to tie but could not find the equalizer as the Ducks held on for their first win over a ranked opponent this season. Griggs was credited with three saves on the afternoon, and her counterpart, Apts, made seven.
The Ducks ended the contest with 14-11 advantage in shots. Rowan held a 6-4 edge in corners.
Stevens will return to action when they visit Empire 8 rival Ithaca College on Saturday, October 3. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.
