GLASSBORO, N.J. – The Ursinus field hockey team defeated Rowan in last year's season opener but couldn't quite get the same result to start the 2018 season as the Bears fell 3-1.

Highlighting for Ursinus was freshman Jamie Mayer, who scored in her collegiate debut just a few minutes after Rowan's first tally. Mayer took advantage of a loose ball in front of the cage to knot the score 1-1 about midway through the first half.

Rowan (1-0) kept the Bears on their feet as they applied pressure into Ursinus' defensive zone for a majority of the game. The Profs were led by Rachel Galante, who scored twice and added an assist on the third goal. Rowan's leading returning scorer netted the first goal of the game off an intercepted pass about 14 minutes in. She then dribbled up the field before finding the upper left side of the net.

With a few minutes remaining in the first 35 minutes, Galante gave the Profs a 2-1 lead into the break. Galante drilled a laser off a penalty corner from the top of the circle into the net. Krystyna Hovell assisted the goal on the corner for the Profs.

Rowan increased its lead to 3-1 in the second half after a pass from Galante to Bridget Guinan, who put home a goal from inside the circle to round out the scoring.

Several Ursinus shots were scoring chances but the Bears couldn't get any more by Rowan goalie Morgan Novak. Senior Mikayla Jordan deflected a ball just over the cage in the first half.

Jordan and sophomore Devon Carroll took a team-high three shots for the Bears, and Carroll put two on goal.

Novak made five saves in victory and Ursinus senior goalie Jules Singer had four.

Rowan took 13 shots with seven on goal, compared to Ursinus' 10 shots with six on goal. Both teams attempted 11 corners.

Ursinus travels to No. 2 Messiah for a 7 p.m. game Wednesday.