GLASSBORO, N.J. — Sophomore Niki Micciche scored the first goal of the season for the Catholic University Field Hockey team as they fell to No. 3 Rowan on Saturday afternoon.

Micciche picked up right where she left off last season, when she netted a joint-team-high seven goals for the Cardinals in 2021. With just under six minutes remaining in the contest, she received a pass from senior Molly McEvoy on the left side of the cage and lifted it past the goalkeeper into the net.

The Cardinals faced their second nationally-ranked opponent in three days after falling to No. 15 TCNJ on Thursday in a hardfought overtime contest. 

Rowan were comfortably in control throughout the match, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first quarter and not allowing Catholic to register a shot until the third stanza.

Freshman goalkeeper Abigail Kearney made eight saves in the contest, besting the total of seven that she accumulated in her collegiate debut on Thursday. 

Catholic will return to the field four days' time when they travel to Ashland to face the Yellow Jackets of Randolph-Macon on Wednesday, Sept. 7. The game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.