The Rowan Women’s Soccer team is hot after they improved their winning streak to three games during an 11-1 offensive explosion against the Centenary University Cyclones on Saturday, Sept. 10. The Profs had goals from eight different players in Saturday’s win.
Senior forward Nina Carlson got the scoring started for the Profs with a goal in the eighth minute of action, her first of two goals on the day. Sophomore midfielder Simone Pacetti and freshman forward Lianna SanFelice netted two goals of their own, while sophomores Jillian Jankowski, Aine Delle Grotti, Frankie Ryan, and freshmen Olivia Giordano and Olivia Sofroney added one goal each.
For SanFelice, Delle Grotti and Sofroney, it was a day they’ll never forget, as they each scored the first goal of their respective collegiate careers. SanFelice thought her first one may not have counted right away but was happy to see it hit the back of the net.
“I thought I was offside but I just kept going and then I just tapped it in,” SanFelice said. “It felt good. I just wanted to do it for the team and get us on the board.”
The Profs defense locked down the opposing offense once again, holding the Cyclones to one goal and just three shots throughout the game, with their lone goal coming in the 58th minute off the foot of Centenary’s midfielder, Alissandra Auletta. As good as the offense was, Pacetti credits the Prof’s defenders for the offensive outburst.
“Just them being able to see the field and being able to get the ball up to us as much as possible,” Pacetti said. “They always are looking to find their teammates and to get us in front of the net.”
Head Coach Scott Leacott believes that the Profs’ talent and the style of play their opponents had played a role in the Prof’s offensive showing, but the speed of the Profs played an even bigger one in their scoring ability.
“They played a very high line against us and left a lot of space behind. One of our strengths is we’re pretty darn quick up top, so we just got in behind them a ton,” Coach Leacott said. “It was good for us to be able to get out there and score some goals because I think we’re generating a lot in the first three games, didn’t score a lot, now we just opened the floodgates a little bit”.
Now with a road trip to Widener University on deck, Coach Leacott believes the recipe to success is simple: stay with what they’ve been doing.
“We’re playing a tougher team obviously, more athletic, they’re very organized, they’re having a very successful start to their season,” Coach Leacott said. “So if we just stay into what we’re capable of doing, we’ll be successful. If we get away from that, start getting a little crazy, you never know what could happen.”
The Profs will look to extend their win streak to four games on Wednesday, Sept. 14, as they cross the Delaware River and head to Widener to take on the Pride at 7 p.m.
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