After seemingly turning a corner just a few games ago, the Rowan field hockey team is headed back to the drawing board looking for answers as they suffered a 4-2 loss to No. 17 Shenandoah at Coach Richard Wackar Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 28. The loss marks back-to-back defeats for the Profs and drops their record to 4-5 on the season. 

Rowan started out strong in the first quarter, when forward Allie Palumbo possessed the ball in the circle, spun around, and fired a shot into the back of the cage. The goal was Palumbo’s sixth goal on the season, good for the team lead as well as second most in the NJAC (New Jersey Athletic Conference).

The second quarter would prove to doom Rowan however as Shenandoah tallied two goals in the period and would not relinquish the lead from there. Shenandoah and Rowan traded goals in the 3rd period before Shenandoah tacked on a goal early in the 4th to seal the 4-2 victory. 

While time could be spent dissecting what Rowan has done wrong the last couple of games, head coach Michelle Andre is instead focusing on their strengths.

“Our strengths lie in our midfield and upfield push,” Andre said. “We want to make adjustments to highlight those strengths instead of focusing on what we need to get better at. That stuff will come along, but for now, we want to focus on what we’ve been good at.”

Palumbo highlighted another one of Andre’s talking points that was relayed to the team.

“She’s been telling us we need to work together,” Palumbo said. “We need to have each other’s back on and off the field and stick together as a team.” 

Palumbo will be a key part of getting back in the win column, as she is the focal point of Andre’s offensive philosophy. Andre constantly stresses taking large quantities of shots and Palumbo leads the NJAC in shots taken (44) and shots on goal (23). Look for Palumbo to continue putting pressure on future goaltenders that face Rowan. 

As the calendar flips to October and the beginning of conference play looms, Andre feels confident her team has yet to play their best.

“I feel that in these games, we’ve beaten ourselves,” Andre said. “Our team recognizes that and now we’re at the point where we need to turn the page and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

In order to turn the page, Rowan will need its team leaders to help lead the effort. After spending three seasons at Stockton, Palumbo is starting to gain her voice as one of those leaders.

“I think when I got here, even though I am a senior it felt like I was a freshman because I was new,” Palumbo said. “I think I’ve gotten better at being more vocal and being a leader, so that’s something that I have to just do more of.”

Five of Rowan’s first nine games have come against ranked opponents and the schedule doesn’t lighten up moving forward. In order to end their losing streak, Rowan will have to knock off No. 23 Messiah. The game will be the fifth and final game of Rowan’s homestand, being played on Wednesday, Oct. 2, at 6:00 P.M. 

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