Upper Montclair, NJ (11/05/03) - The Montclair State University women's soccer team, seeded first in the 2003 New Jersey Athletic Conference tournament, advanced to its second consecutive NJAC championship game with a 2-1 victory over fifth-seeded Rowan University today at a damp and foggy MSU Soccer Park at Pittser Field.

The Red Hawks (13-4-1 overall) will now host second-seeded The College of New Jersey at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6, at MSU for the conference crown. The winner of Friday's game receives the NJAC's automatic bid to the 2003 NCAA Division III Championships.

Montclair State junior forward and leading scorer STEPHANIE SABALIAUSKAS (Edison, NJ/Mt. St. Mary Academy) opened the scoring at 17:19 of the first half, heading in a corner kick from the right side by senior midfielder JESSICA KOCH (Blackwood, NJ/Triton) for her team-leading 13th goal of the season. Montclair then struck again just before halftime, when junior forward LIZ D'ALTO (Clifton, NJ/Clifton) took a pass from senior midfielder STEPHANIE SANTOS (East Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park) and scored from in close at 43:28 to make it 2-0 with her fifth goal of the fall.

Rowan (14-5-1 overall) got on the board with 11:15 remaining in regulation when freshman forward Karen Patruno (/Somerdale, NJ/Paul VI) followed up the rebound of her own shot and sent a second try into the MSU net off the crossbar for her sixth goal of the season. It was as close as the visiting Profs would get, though, as the host Red Hawks held on to stretch their unbeaten streak to three games. Both teams recorded 12 shots, while Montclair had the edge in corner kicks, 5-3, and also had nine of the game's 13 fouls. Junior goalkeeper SUSAN HINDS (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) finished with six saves for the Red Hawks, while freshman netminder Gabrielle Ditchey (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape) posted five stops for the Profs.

Montclair State will return to action this Friday for its second straight NJAC title game, and first at home. MSU fell at TCNJ, 2-0, last November in their inaugural appearance, after defeating host William Paterson, 4-0, in the semifinals.