The Rowan University women’s soccer team defeated New Jersey City University [NJCU] 3-0 on Saturday.

A trio of freshmen Profs attacked on the offensive end, as Jillian Jankowski, Gabby Dean and Emma DeMaise all scored. 

Jankowski started the scoring early for Rowan with her first career goal in the tenth minute from an assist by Arianna Durling. This gave the Profs an early 1-0 lead over the Gothic Knights.

After Jankowski’s eighth goal attempt, she connected with the back of the net.

“[It gave me] definitely more confidence with taking my opportunities and taking shots on goal,” Jankowski said. “Hopefully it will give me more confidence to take more opportunities.” 

In the 30th minute of the match, Gabby Dean scored off an assist from Aidan Sheehan.

“I got a great ball in,” Dean said. “It was kind of bouncing around the 18 and it came to my foot and I was able to just pass it into the net.” 

Like Jankowski, this was Dean’s first collegiate goal of her career.

“It felt amazing, because I kept pushing and trying out there and then it finally landed,” Dean said. “I was struggling to score in the beginning and it finally came.” 

The Profs gained a 2-0 lead over NJCU, but that didn’t stop their attack, as they were able to tally 21 shots, 12 of which were on target. 

Right after halftime, the Profs scored again. Emma DeMaise notched her third goal of the season on her third penalty kick of the season, making the final score 3-0. 

Head Coach Scott Leacott is pleased with the way the team has gelled so far this season. 

“They take instruction. They take everything very well. They get along great,” Coach Leacott said. “[It] makes my job ten times easier. The transition for the upperclassmen and the transition for the underclassman has been fantastic with each other.” 

Jankowski also mentioned the team’s flexibility when playing.  

“We’re all getting different opportunities. All of us [are] putting ourselves in positions to score,” Jankowski said. “So it’s all of us working hard up top, it’s not just the same people.” 

The Profs have scored 23 goals this season, and have taken 185 shots thus far. Coach Leacott notes  his team’s attacking mentality, but says they will have to follow through more. 

“We’re generating a lot of opportunities,” Coach Leacott said. “We just have to finish a little bit better than we have.” 

The Profs were 8-2 for the season and 3-1 in New Jersey Athletic Conference [NJAC]. Women’s soccer played their next game away against York College of Pennsylvania on Oct. 6 in which they were defeated 2-1.

Rowan now returns to Glassboro on Oct. 9 to face off against William Paterson University. 

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