Photo courtesy Quinnipiac Athletics
By: Mike Dalton
The Quinnipiac women’s soccer team ended its regular season on a high note with a 3-1 win over Saint Peter’s on Oct. 26 at the QU Soccer Field.
The Bobcats head into the MAAC playoffs with an overall record of 10-6-1, and a 6-4 conference record. Overall, head coach Dave Clarke was pleased with his team’s play this season.
“We’ve been consistent. The games that I thought we expected to win we won, and the games that I thought we were going to struggle in, we did,” Clarke said.
The first half started off with a surprising first goal by Saint Peter’s. As several Bobcat defenders struggled to control the ball, Saint Peter’s midfielder/defender, Alexandria Couto, broke free and fired a shot just outside of the penalty box. The shot went over the outstretched hands of Quinnipiac’s sophomore goalkeeper, Devan Malcolm.
With 14:18 to go in the first half, the Bobcats were able to tie things up when senior Jess Fontaine scored off a rebound. At the end of the first half, Quinnipiac and Saint Peter’s were tied at one.
The Bobcats came out very aggressive in the second half. For the majority of the final 45 minutes, Quinnipiac controlled the ball, and was constantly attacking Saint Peter’s end of the pitch.
“Halftime is always the chance that you get a reaction out of [the team],” Clarke said. “I was actually low-key in this game because I was trying to let them solve the problems themselves. They didn’t need me getting on them about a few little factors.”
This aggressive approach paid off for the Bobcats. Quinnipiac scored two goals, the first by red-shirt freshman Kylie Lance. The second goal was scored by sophomore, Jess Gargan. Both goals were scored off of rebounds.
As far as the playoffs go, the Bobcats are unsure as to what seed they will be in yet, however, they know one thing they must do.
“We have to win. That’s the most important thing,” Clarke said.
Despite the uncertainty of the opponent and location come the postseason, Quinnipiac is thrilled to have come this far.
“We don’t care where we have to play, or who we’re playing,” Lance said. “We’re just ready to go.”
This final regular season game might also have been the last time the seniors will get to play at home. One senior that certainly went out on a high note was Fontaine, who jumpstarted Quinnipiac’s momentum with her first half goal.
“We really wanted to come out and get that eighth win, and go undefeated at home,” Fontaine said. “It’s what we wanted to do, and it’s good to go out on top if this was our last home game.”
This is just the second time in program history that the women’s soccer program has gone undefeated at home in a single season.
The MAAC postseason is set to begin this Saturday, Oct. 29, and it is to be determined as to who the Bobcats will be playing on that Saturday, and whether they will be home or away.
