By: Dylan Fearon
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There’s that old sports adage about beating a team three times in one season. You know, about how difficult and unlikely it is?
Try telling the Quinnipiac women’s basketball team that.
In order for the Bobcats to get back to the NCAA Tournament, they’re going to have to do just that. Beat a team three times in one year. Three separate times.
Quinnipiac has already done it twice, the most recent coming Sunday in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference semifinals against Rider, 82-62.
“We knew going in it was going to be, obviously, a very competitive, physical, hard fought game,” head coach Tricia Fabbri said. “Great execution, great play by (Jen Fay and Ayrn McClure). They’ve done it all year, all league. They’ve just either scored the ball, rebounded the ball, assisted… these two young ladies have been special all year long.
Quinnipiac entered unchartered territory early, finding itself down 9-0 after Rider hit its first four shots.
But then, in what seemed like an instant, the lead disappeared, thanks to a 21-0 run by the Bobcats.
“Our defensive to our offensive just got us going,” Fabbri said. “We really relaxed and exhaled. I think in these big games, there’s always a point where we just need to exhale. A play happens to settle everyone down into the game. Even though I think we were ready to go, there’s always that moment of anxiousness. Certainly Paula (Strautmane)’s blocks were that.”
McClure, an All-MAAC first team selection, was involved in the action early and often. The junior forward poured in 24 points on 11-of-15 shooting, with a similar feel to her dominance in last year’s MAAC title against Rider, when she dropped 28. Fay added 17 points.
“Rider plays me really tough, ” McClure said. “Stella Johnson is a great defender and I feel like I play better against tougher competition, because then I have to raise my game. So I think that helps me perform pretty well against them. ”
Rider stayed within striking distance until midway through the third quarter, trailing by ten with six minutes to go. Quinnipiac’s lead felt larger than it really was until the fourth, when a 12-point advantage blossomed to 18. Multiple layups by Strautmane and Fay put this one to bed early on in the final 10 minutes.
Winning a MAAC semifinal isn’t anything new for the Bobcats. In fact it’s a given at this point. Five year’s running Quinnipiac has made a MAAC championship game, with Fabbri’s gang winning in 2015 and 2017.
“I’m just worried about the 40 that lie in front of us tomorrow. I’m thrilled to wake up the first Monday in March in Albany ready to play again. So, we’re just going forward. Go get prepared to see Marist or Siena. When the season’s over, we’ll reflect back. We’re still on a mission.”
Now the Bobcats wait to find out its opponent in the title game. Marist and Siena face off Sunday afternoon for the right to play Quinnipiac on championship Monday. Whichever team it faces, the Bobcats will have to beat them for the third time this year.
And that doesn’t scare them at all.
“We have no say in the matter, who we’re going to see. Those two teams are going to go duke it out. I’ll be honest with you, Siena has played great basketball. They’re defense is fantastic in terms of where they trap. Their athleticism and their length…and they’ve beaten Marist already. We’re not putting any eggs in one basket. Open mind going to watch the game and prepare for both.”
