As reported by njacsports.com, Rowan secured a spot in the NJAC Championship game following a 3-1 semifinal triumph against William Paterson on Thursday evening at Esby Gymnasium.
The top-seeded Profs hold a 27-3 record heading into the title match. They will meet Kean here in Glassboro this Saturday at 5 p.m. to decide the conference champion.
In Thursday’s other semifinal matchup, the third-seeded and title-holding Cougars eliminated second-seeded Stockton across five sets. This is the first time Rowan will host the NJAC Championship since 2022, when the squad won its second-consecutive and eighth conference crown by taking down the Cougars.
Providing a strong offensive spark, Jessica Smart and Hutton Cordrey combined for 27 of the squad’s 44 kills. Cordrey added 11 digs for her fifth double-double of the season, three aces, and two blocks including one solo block.
Cordrey’s six kills in the first set helped turn around an early 6-0 deficit. Breaking a 15-15 deadlock, three consecutive kills by Cordrey, Abby Chadwick, and Ava Best propelled the hosts into their initial lead of the opening set. Rowan managed just nine kills in the second set, where the Pioneers evened things up at 1-1.
The teams stayed close in the third set, tied at 11-11 before the Profs pulled ahead to prevail without either side falling behind by more than three points. Rowan then jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the fourth set, holding a 15-5 edge at the media timeout.
William Paterson did not go quietly in that frame. Riley Elliott led all attackers with 17 kills for the Pioneers, who finished their season with a 20-12 record. Elliott racked up five kills in the fourth set alone to get her team within 24-20 before a service error on match point helped lock up the trip to the finals for the hosts.
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