By: John Franklin
The biggest game of the year resulted in the biggest heart break for the Quinnipiac women’s basketball team. In the final of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament the Bobcats lost to the Iona Gaels by a score of 57-41. The 41 points is Quinnipiac’s lowest point total of the season. It is the first MAAC title in the history of the Iona women’s basketball program.
“Credit Iona’s defense today,” head coach Tricia Fabbri said. “They made it difficult to find the bottom of the net.”
The first half was all Gaels as Iona’s Marina Lizarazu and Joy Adams combined for 16 points. Iona finished the half on a 27-12 run. Overall, it led the game for 31:29 and its largest lead was 17 points.
The Bobcats could not contain the senior tandem as they finished the game with a combined 30 points, 16 rebounds and six assists. Lizarazu was named tournament Most Valuable Player and Adams was named to the all-tournament team.
After losing senior captain and defensive catalyst Maria Napolitano in Sunday’s semifinal, guarding Lizarazu became a nightmare for Quinnipiac.
The Bobcats were even more hindered when freshman forward Paula Stratmane left the game with an ankle injury midway through the second quarter. After four points in the opening seven minutes, Straumane was held scoreless for the final 22 minutes she played. Napolitano, Strautmane, as well as freshman Aryn McClure were named to the all-tournament team.
All Fabbri had to say about her two freshman forwards making the all-tournament team was, “I think you’ve seen the future all season.”
After winning 19 straight games to reach the final, Quinnipiac could not win the one that mattered most. However, the future is bright for Quinnipiac. It returns four starters including all-tournament team members McClure and Strautmane.
By winning the regular season, the Bobcats are guaranteed a Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) bid. After the tournament the Bobcats will graduate Napolitano and senior reserve Katie Carroll, the winningest (106) players in program history.
“She’s been our leading scorer. She’s been our rock all year for us,” Fabbri said about losing Napolitano. “What she’s done for us for four years is unmatched. It was tough not to have her in uniform obviously for the biggest game of the season in a championship game.”
