Montclair, NJ – Senior forward Aidan Sheehan scored eight seconds past the 11 minute mark of the first half which turned out to be the only goal as third-seeded Rowan slipped past No. 2 seed Montclair State in the semifinals of the NJAC Tournament at MSU Soccer Park on Tuesday evening.

The goal by Sheehan sends the Profs (14-4) into the championship game on Friday, November 5 in Ewing, NJ against top-ranked and top-seeded The College of New Jersey at 6:30 pm.

Junior goalkeeper HALEY MARTIN stopped three shots for Montclair State (12-5), which must now play the waiting game and see if it can earn one of the at-large bids to the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship. The selections will be announced in live show on NCAA.com on Monday, November 8.

Sheehan scored on the game's first shot at the 11:08 mark. Nina Carlson served a ball down the right side that Sheehan picked up at the top of the box. The senior drove toward the goal before sending a shot inside the left post for her fourth goal of the season and the 1-0 lead.

Montclair State nearly got the equalizer nine minutes later as TARA LAMBERT fired a shot from the top left-corner of the box that clanged off the crossbar. The Red Hawks would get one more chance in the final minute of the first half, but SAMANTHA GABRIELE's shot from the top left side was stopped by Bristol Pizzuto as Rowan took their one-goal lead into the break.

Pizzuto and Martin traded saves five minutes into the second half with Martin collecting another in the 58^th minute off a shot by Sheehan. Four minutes later, it was ZOE STECK with a shot from close range, scooped up by Pizzuto.

Martin would deny Sheehan with 11:08 to go and the Red Hawks got the final four chances, the best one coming a minute later. EMILY DEGEYTER lofted a shot from the top right side toward the far post the just eluded the head of a charging Lambert. Two minutes later, AILEEN CAHILL got a serve off a DeGeyter corner kick near the six and tried to bicycle kick the ball the feed, however Pizzuto snared that attempt.  

SOFIA AMBROSIO fired off a free kick with 5:26 left which Pizzuto saved. The keeper would make the last of her nine saves with 3:12 to go, diving to her left to deflect an attempt by Steck from eight yards out.

Pizzuto recorded her eighth shutout of the season.

Montclair State outshot Rowan, 16-8 and took all five corner kicks in the match.

Tuesday's meeting marked the sixth time the two teams have met in the NJAC Tournament with each now winning twice in addition to two ties, including the last matchup in the semifinals of the 2017 tournament won by Montclair in penalty kicks, 4-2.