The number one seeded Quinnipiac Bobcats men’s soccer team took on the Siena Saints on Sunday for a rainy MAAC Quarterfinal matchup.

The Bobcats won the game by a score of 1-0, with a goal from sophomore striker David Bercedo with just twelve minutes and 32 seconds left in the second half.

The ball was worked into the feet of Bercedo by sophomore Domen Bozic who made a penetrating run from full-back into the eighteen-yard box.

GOAL! DAVID BERCEDO!

Bozic → Bercedo gives us the advantage in the 78th minute! 1-0 lead in Hamden 🙌 pic.twitter.com/kotqnWz2VL

— Quinnipiac Men’s Soccer (@QU_MSOC) April 11, 2021

Bercedo has found a new home at Quinnipiac since transferring from Ohio Valley, with head coach Eric Da Costa noting his striker’s work ethic both on and off the field.

“He saw this as an opportunity to continue to compete, and continue to fuel his competitive desire,” Da Costa said. “He’s exactly what we thought he was going to be, and more.”

Bercedo was also the target man in the style rolled out by the Bobcats, with most of their chances coming from moving the ball out wide and immediately working it into the box, either through a penetrating ball or a cross.

“We knew that in this situation where the team gets a lot of numbers behind the ball, you have to go outside-in, and the boys recognized that and we played to this,” Da Costa said.

The game, however, wasn’t all one-sided as the Saints were well-marshalled in defense, and very hard to break down.

“Graci (Siena head coach Graciano Brito) had those guys really committed to play, and they made it hard for us,” Da Costa said. “Our guys however were able to stay composed and found a way through them to score.”

With such a hard defense to break down, the Bobcats needed an extra boost and were able to find that via the crowd that was in attendance for today’s game.

“We just hope we gave them (the student body) a little bit of joy, in a year when we lack a lot of that,” Da Costa said.

With a short turnaround time between games, Da Costa talked about how he envisions the next game will go.

“I think the game is gonna start, and both teams will line up with eleven players, and I just hope that is how it will end.”

The Bobcats will play their semifinal matchup on Wednesday at home against the #5 Fairfield Stags.