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In what could have been Quinnipiac head coach Becca Main’s 200th career win, the Bobcats fell to Villanova by one goal for the third year in a row in their Big East matchup.

The Bobcats (3-9) outshot the Wildcats (5-6), but they were unable to find the back of the net enough.

“We don’t have people who can put the ball away,” Main said of her team’s offense. “The ‘woulda, coulda, shoulda’s’ are what wake you up at four in the morning and are what have been waking us up all season.”

The Wildcats scored first with senior forward Megan Vermeil putting one in after a scrum in front of Quinnipiac goalkeeper Hedda Biermann-Ratjen for her first of the season.

The Bobcats tied it up less than two minutes later with freshman forward Juliana Capello putting the Bobcats back in the game.

“Juliana is probably somebody who was born to score,” Main said. “Jules is one of those rare players that does know how to put the ball in the net.”

Capello’s goal was unassisted as she used her speed to streak down the Bobcats’ right sideline past multiple Villanova defenders all the way to the net.

“The endline is like your friend, so when you’re when you go down you can use 3D skills or anything to get around [defenders],” Capello said after notching her second goal of the season. “Going down the right side, you’re on your strong side, so you’re capable of doing a lot more on your strong side than your weak side.”

The Bobcats used the sideline again as Bianka Strubbe lifted the ball by two defenders to send it into senior forward Valerie Perkins who tipped it into the back of the net.

The Bobcats would not take the lead, however, as the goal was called back after video review. The Wildcats also had a fourth-quarter goal called back after video review.

The teams went into halftime tied at one goal apiece, but the Wildcats would come out strong in the third quarter as they got their second goal off a penalty corner. Senior forward Abby Siana sent the ball towards the net where senior forward Lydia Sydnor tipped it high over the head of Biermann-Ratjen.

“When they scored that gorgeous corner, which was a really nice corner, we should have been putting three to four in the net,” Main said of how she hoped her team would respond to the Wildcats’ second goal.

The Bobcats were unable to answer, and the Wildcats won 2-1.

“We have to win the next three Big East games to even be considered for [playoffs],” Main said of the rest of her team’s season. “That’s a lofty goal to be able to attain, but that’s what we’re going to go after for the next three weeks.”

The Bobcats travel to UMaine on Sunday to take on the Black Bears (3-0).

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