Women’s Soccer Keeping Expectations High and Realistic
August 17, 2022
On Tuesday, Aug. 16, roughly 35 alumni, parents, coaches, players, and friends of the Quinnipiac women’s soccer program came together on a zoom call to discuss the upcoming season for the 2022 MAAC preseason favorites.
Head coach Dave Clarke has seen a lot of great things coming out of the team in their preseason training and especially in the team’s exhibition games against Central Connecticut State University and the University of Connecticut.
The CCSU Blue Devils have won the last four Northeast Conference Championship Games heading into this season where they are the favorites to win the championship for the fifth year in a row. Although the Bobcats have never won a MAAC championship, the squad outshined their in-state foe 30 minutes to the north for most of the game.
“We dominated the game and lost it in the last couple of minutes,” Clarke said. “It was a good learning experience for the newer players to get that experience.”
The Huskies were a solid matchup for the Bobcats, as they lost in the Big East Championship game last season to Butler 1-0 in double overtime.
While both Quinnipiac and UCONN lost in their respective conference championship games, Clarke felt his squad dominated the opposition who brought back 12 of their 13 contributing players from last season.
“We felt it was going to be the real test in preparation. We actually tied 1-1, and we were the better team. We had control for most of the game,” Clarke said. “Just by the way we played in those two games against teams that have a history of going to the [NCAA] tournament, with the success they have had, [it] has laid down the marker for the season ahead.”
Clarke was also quick to say that the preseason ranking does not change at all how they will approach the season. While he recognizes the respect from the coaches around the conference, being able to gain recognition and meeting expectations is easier said than done.
“I would say for the players wanting to prove the coaches right and not to prove them wrong,” Clark said. “I think the players know they have a target and they have expectations for themselves.”
Captains for the upcoming season: Meaghan Phillips, Olivia Scott, and Lauren Triglione are a small group of one of the largest senior classes in recent memory.
With such an experienced team, graduate student Lauren Triglione wants to teach the underclassmen that there is something bigger than themselves and to embrace the summer sessions.
“When you are in the grind of the preseason, when you are starting to hurt a little bit and everyone is tired… Everyone in the locker room knows that we still have a job to do and there is still a goal in mind.” Triglione said.
With all of this experience at the top of the roster heading into next season, Clarke knows that it gives them a great advantage when it comes to playoff time to win the MAAC for the first time in program history.
“For the MAAC, you have to be at home for all of the playoffs,” Clarke said. “It is going to be nearly impossible to go away from home for all three games and expect to win with the travel that is involved.”
All of the captains this upcoming have one game in particular marked on their calendar, Sept. 17. That is the MAAC season opener against the Niagara Purple Eagles. This game has also been named the alumni game for the season.
Last season, Niagara gave Quinnipiac a run for their money, with the final score ending in the Bobcats favor 2-1, thanks to an 87th-minute header from now alum Emily Looney.
Until then, Clarke and the rest of the Bobcats squad will try to take it one game at a time, starting with Lafayette College on Aug. 18.
