By: Paul Matli
Follow @PaulMatli23

It took five games, but the Quinnipiac Field Hockey team finally had its breakthrough.

Behind senior captain Dayna Barlow and quality play from sisters Ines and Elisa Ruiz Martinez the Bobcats beat rival Yale 4-2 for their first win of the season.

“It was great to get the monkey off our back,” Quinnipiac head coach Becca Main said.” You never like being the last team to win on your own field.”

As if the win wasn’t enough, Main felt the opposition made the victory extra special.

“If I could pick the opponent to have that first win against it would be Yale,” Main said. “The monkey is off our back and running around.”

Main was pleased with the complete game the Bobcats played. She said the Bobcats have put together stretches of really good play, but this was the first time they put all the pieces together.

The Bobcats were aggressive from the start and dictated much of the play in the first half scoring two goals. Senior Selina Reichert scored first for Quinnipiac, her first goal of the season. Barlow netted the Bobcats second goal off a deflection from teammate Michelle Federico.

“We named Dayna Barlow captain and she knew we wanted her to step up,” Main said. “She walked the walk.”

The second half was much more even with the Bulldogs having a little more possession. Six minutes into the second stanza Barlow scored her second goal of the match. Sophomore Amanda Blum fired a shot from the top of the circle which Barlow redirected past Yale’s Freshman goaltender Sydney Terroso.

Yale responded well, as five minutes later Holly Jackson scored the Bulldogs first goal of the match and cut the Bobcats lead to two.

Yet in the 49th minute Sophomore Ines Ruiz Martinez scored her first goal of the year to stretch the Quinnipiac lead back to three. Lauren Belskie earned her second assist of the game as she played the ball in front of the goal and Martinez redirected into the back of the net.

Quinnipiac’s newest captain was happy with the first win and is relieved things finally started to go the Bobcats way after a tough start to the season.

“We were in all of those games,” Barlow said. “We deserved to win, it was just frustrating that we couldn’t finish.”

The Bobcats final tune-up game before Big East play is Saturday on the road against Hofstra.

“This is the type of energy level needed for Big East play,” Main said.
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