Photo courtesy Quinnipiac Athletics
By: Victoria Rutigliano
Excitement turned to nerves for the Quinnipiac field hockey team Saturday as it stepped out onto the field in its first Big East game in program history.
The Bobcats had something to prove coming into this game, having not won a match yet this season. The Big East match-up, however, didn’t phase the home team.
Quinnipiac defeated Georgetown 4-2 proving its place in the new conference.
“We just knew this game really mattered,” Savanna Reilly said. “It was kind of a make or break it game for us and that’s why the nerves were on because we cared so much and we really wanted it.”
The Bobcats demonstrated they wanted to do more than just prove their worthiness in the Big East in the decisive victory – a victory the team knew it needed coming in.
“I mean I guess we picked the right time and the right win,” Quinnipiac head coach Becca Main said. “This is huge and this is monumental for us and it’s very important that not only we win the game but we put four goals in.”
These four goals were not usual for the Bobcats, as they’ve only averaged a goal a game coming into this match-up.
“We’ve been lacking in the attacking zone, holding it in there, getting lots of shots,” Savanna Reilly said. “That’s finally what came here in this game and it really showed on the scoreboard.”
It didn’t look like a first Big East game for the Bobcats in the first half as the team dominated the Hoyas on offense taking 15 shots to Georgetown’s three, with penalty corners proving to be the difference-maker. Savanna Reilly and Ines Ruiz-Martinez both found the back of the net from set plays in the opening 40 minutes.
Reilly’s goal in the first half marked her 50th career point (21g, 8a), and Becca Main said there was no better player to score the team’s first Big East goal than Reilly.
“She’s the epitome of a workhorse, a leader, of somebody who has completely not only over-achieved here, but become one of the best players, best forwards I’ve ever seen.”
Georgetown was able to get one back in the first half, with Megan Parons scoring on the team’s first shot on net.
The close game wouldn’t last long, though.
Michelle Federico scored her first two goals of the season, netting both goals wide open from the pitch in the second half to propel the Bobcats to the 4-2 victory. Federico said these goals were something she knew she had to produce coming into the game.
“All week my goal was to score,” Federico said. “We’ve been struggling in the past few games putting the ball in the net and I think it’s those missed opportunities that we’re talking about game after game, those opportunities that we need to put away going forward.”
With the win, Quinnipiac broke its six game losing streak and started conference the way it has the past three years – on a win streak. Main said this win will show other teams the Bobcats are a contender in the new conference.
“I think for us this is establishing not only ‘here we are, we came to play’ but we’re not looking to just enter and be here, we want to do more than just be here.”
