Trevor Miceli
Mia Foti stands back on defense. Foti assisted Sydney Kowalczyk on her third quarter goal. Glassboro, N.J. Friday, August 29, 2025.
Rowan field hockey didn’t waste any time making a statement in their season opener, defeating the No. 18 ranked Ursinus Bears 2–0 on Friday, August 29, behind a mix of freshman flair and senior stability. With the victory, Rowan extends its dominance over Ursinus. They’ve now outscored the Bears 4–1 across their last two meetings.
The No. 14 ranked Profs, who eliminated Ursinus at last season’s NCAA tournament, once again showcased their balance of depth and experience. Freshman forward Sydney Kowalczyk made her debut start with a third quarter goal. Veteran goalkeeper Mariah Juiliano anchored the backline with eight saves to earn the shutout.
“To start the season like this against a ranked opponent, is a powerful statement,” Kowalczyk said.
The game opened with a tense defensive battle, as both sides traded blows but failed to break through. Rowan had two goals waved off early, while Juiliano was called upon three times in the first quarter to deny Ursinus’ advances. Her diving split save midway through the frame set the tone for a resilient defensive effort.
Rowan finally struck in the second period when sophomore Paige Gray tipped in the opening goal off a shot from senior Alexa Ronning. Despite spending much of the quarter in their defensive half, the Profs held firm, with Juiliano making highlight stops to preserve the 1–0 advantage heading into halftime.
In the third quarter, Ursinus keeper senior Adriana Palladinetti made a spectacular stop to deny Rowan’s push for a second. But, the Profs broke through minutes later when Kowalczyk finished from close range to double the lead, assisted on the play by sophomore Mia Foti. For the freshman, the moment was unforgettable.
“It was incredible. It was such a simple goal, but just the atmosphere of the crowd roaring was so exciting,” Kowalczyk said. “I put in a lot of work over the summer to earn this opportunity, and I didn’t want to disappoint the coaches or my teammates.
The fourth quarter saw Ursinus push forward desperately, but Rowan’s backline stood tall. Juiliano added four more saves to her tally, closing out the clean sheet. The senior captain credited both her preparation and the team’s new press for the strong defensive showing.
“I just stayed on my toes constantly,” Juiliano said. “With our new press, we’re swapping players more and keeping fresh legs, which really helps. It felt like we were already in midseason form.”
Head coach Michelle Andre praised her team’s collective effort and depth, noting how the Profs managed to control the game against a top-tier opponent.
“Everybody did their job, and it showed in our gameplay,” Andre said. “We’ve got a deep bench, so by the fourth quarter we still had legs. And when your goalkeeper makes key saves like Mariah did, it gives the defense confidence to step up. To beat a ranked team and control the flow the way we did, I couldn’t ask for a better start.”
Starting their season off win big win against a fellow top-seeded opponent, Kowalczyk says this is just the beginning for her team.
“This win means a lot,” Kowalczyk said. “We can only go up from here.”
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