QU Women's Soccer Travels to Top-Ranked Monmouth on Saturday Night
10/16/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Quinnipiac University (2-10-1, 1-4-1 MAAC) at
Monmouth University (10-4-0, 5-1-0 MAAC)
Saturday, October 18, 2014 • 7:00 PM
Hesse Field on the Great Lawn • West Long Branch, N.J.
All-Time Series vs. Monmouth (DI): 6-11-2 (6-11-2)
Last Meeting: October 26, 2013 | T, 0-0 (2OT) | Hamden, Conn.
- Quinnipiac Women's Soccer Homepage
- Monmouth Women's Soccer Homepage
- Quinnipiac Women's Soccer Stat Packet
- Live Stats: MonmouthHawks.com
- Live Twitter: @QUAthletics; @QUWomensSoccer
BIG GAME FOR THE BOBCATS
Fresh off its huge double overtime win against Marist, the Quinnipiac University women's soccer team (2-10-1, 1-4-1 MAAC) gears up for another MAAC clash on Saturday, Oct. 18. The Bobcats travel to West Long Branch, N.J. to take on top-ranked Monmouth for a 7 p.m. start time at Hesse Field on The Great Lawn.
ALL-TIME AGAINST MONMOUTH
Two familiar foes, Quinnipiac and Monmouth bring a lot of history into Saturday's match. The rivalry dates back to 1998 when the Bobcats first entered Division I and their Northeast Conference playing days. Monmouth leads the all-time series with an 11-6-2 all-time record. Last year, the Bobcats and the Hawks played to a 0-0 draw through double overtime at the QU Soccer Field.
SCOUTING THE HAWKS
Monmouth enters Saturday's game with a 10-4 overall record and a 5-1 mark in MAAC competition. The Hawks, winners in four straight and five out of their last six, recently caught the attention of voters in the NSCAA Northeast Region – claiming ninth in the latest poll. Monmouth is coming off two impressive road victories last week, securing a 2-1 win in overtime at Manhattan and a 4-0 win at Fairfield. Offensively, the Hawks are led by Rachelle Ross who has six goals and three assists in 14 games played. Alexis McTamney has 14 points on five goals and four assists, while Erica Murphy and Alexa Freguletti each have 13 points. On the other side of the ball, Nicole D'Agostino has seen the most action in net, boasting a 1.13 goal against average and a .712 save percentage.
LAST TIME OUT
It was a wild one from Hamden, but it all ended in relief for the Bobcats. After surrendering the equalizer with just 3.9 seconds remaining in regulation, Quinnipiac persevered through the late anguish and found the game-winning goal in double overtime to defeat Marist College, 2-1, from the QU Soccer Field (10/15). The Bobcats picked up their first MAAC win and three points in the standings.
PLAYOFF SCENARIO
In dire need of those three points, Quinnipiac kept its playoff hopes alive with the win. Now with four points in the league standings, the Bobcats will likely need at least three wins in their last four games to have a chance for postseason play. Quinnipiac is currently chasing Siena, Canisius and Iona for the final two playoff spots.
ERIKSEN'S LATE GAME HEROICS
Senior Nicole Eriksen sealed the deal against Marist (10/15), scoring her first collegiate goal in double overtime for the win. In the 104th minute of play, Eriksen used her last bit of energy to the back post and knocked in the game-winner for the victory. It was Eriksen's first career points in a Bobcat uniform.
TWICE AS NICE
Amanda Barroca scored her second goal of the season in the 2-1 win against Marist (10/15). Barroca finished off a breakaway in the first half to give Quinnipiac a 1-0 lead. She now has four goals and two assists in her career at Quinnipiac.
BOBCAT HELPERS
Three players – Sarah Pandolfi, Jessica Fontaine and Carly Glaser – each collected assists in the win over the Red Foxes (10/15). Pandolfi picked up her third career assist on Barroca's goal, upping her career point total to seven points on two goals and three assists. Fontaine and Glaser were each credited with assists on Eriksen's game-winner. Fontaine bumped her career total to 16 points on six goals and four assists, while Glaser picked up her first career point on the play.
CARUSO GOES UPPER 90
Sophomore Kelly Caruso made the highlight reel at Rider (10/11), when she found the top right corner to cut Quinnipiac's deficit in half. Caruso lined up a backwards pass from 25-yards out and placed a perfect shot over the outstretched arms of the goalkeeper for the marker. It was Caruso's first goal of the season, second of her career and bumped her career point total to seven.
JJ'S FIRST POINT
Junior Jessica Jankowski was responsible for setting up Kelly Caruso's goal at Rider (10/11), when she alertly found her teammate outside of the 18-yard box. Jankowski found Caruso's foot and she made no mistake with her attempt on goal. It was Jankowski's first career assist and point in a Bobcats' uniform.
LENDING A HELPING HAND
As a testament to its commitment to community service, the Quinnipiac University women's soccer team took part in the annual CIAC/SOCT Unified Sports® Soccer Tournament on October 8, 2014 at Quinnipiac Park in Cheshire, Conn. The entire Bobcat team joined youngsters around 3 p.m. on Wednesday, and helped run the middle school soccer tournament. Student-athletes served as referees, coaches, time keepers or kept score, while assisting the students in any way possible.
COACHES VS. CANCER GAME
Quinnipiac's match against Canisius (10/4) was the team's Coaches vs. Cancer game, where the Bobcats worked in conjunction with the American Cancer Society's fight against cancer. Fans had the opportunity to take part in fundraising activities that went towards benefitting the life-saving work of the American Cancer Society. In addition to national donations, Quinnipiac collected donations to help two passionate Bobcat fans who are currently in the fight with cancer, Shaun Bailey and Jay Bentivegna.
A KNACK FOR SCORING
Jessica Fontaine has a knack for scoring, as the Connecticut product found her third goal of the season against Canisius (10/4). The goal came with the use of her head when she redirected a free-kick into the back of the net to tie the score at 1-1. It was Fontaine's sixth goal of her career.
CARUSO DELIVERS
Kelly Caruso delivered her second assist of the season in the first half against Canisius (10/4). Quinnipiac earned a free-kick from 45-yards out where Caruso played a perfect ball into the middle of the penalty area. The ball just missed the head of Nicole Eriksen, but standing just behind her was Jessica Fontaine who calmly redirected a header in to the bottom corner for the equalizer.
A GOAL TO REMEMBER
Freshman Daniella Maggio will certainly remember Quinnipiac's game against Niagara (9/27) as the Brick, N.J. native collected her first career goal in a Bobcat uniform. Fending off a defender, Maggio established just enough room to lift a header up and over NU's goalkeeper Claire Feiertag to tie the score up at 1-1. Maggio picked up her first career points on the play.
LENDING A HELPING HAND
Senior Christina Cesarini picked up her first career assist in Quinnipiac's conference game at Niagara (9/27). The Garden City, N.Y. native found some room down the left side of the field and played a dangerous ball into the penalty box. Maggio was there to head home the Bobcats' lone goal, giving Cesarini her first point of the 2014 season. She upped her career total to seven points.
THE BELLMORE KID
Amanda Barroca scored her first goal of the season when she buried the team's lone goal in the draw against Iona (9/24). It was Barroca's first of the season and the second of her career.
SHE SHOOTS; SHE SCORES
Jessica Fontaine led the Bobcats to their first win of the 2014 season against Vermont (9/13), as the sophomore midfielder scored the game-winning goal in the second half. Quinnipiac's offense clicked in the 66th minute, when Fontaine dashed the near post to slam home a cross from Sarah Pandolfi. The goal served as Quinnipiac's first of the season.
WELCOME ABOARD SARAH
Sarah Pandolfi, a sophomore transfer from UMass, collected her first point as a Bobcat helping Quinnipiac to a 1-0 victory over Vermont (9/13). Pandolfi beat her defender down the right hand side and crossed a ball into the center of the box. Fontaine, last year's leading scorer for the Bobcats, dashed to the near post and flicked the pass right by UVM goalkeeper Ally Ramos for the 1-0 lead.
GRAZZI GRODZKI
Natalia Grodzki played a large role in Quinnipiac's first win of the 2014 season against Vermont (9/13), as the junior goalkeeper posted a clean sheet in the 1-0 victory. Grodzki made two saves in the game and altered several other crosses into the penalty area to preserve her first shutout of the season. She upped her career total to 6.5, while lowering her goals against average to 0.98 (at the time). Her career goal against average (1.24) currently has her ranked sixth all-time in program history. It also marked her fifth career victory.
SPOT START IN NET
Tori Graessle's number was called against UC Davis (8/31), and the senior goalkeeper did not disappoint. She was stellar in the spot appearance, turning away three shots including a diving save on a breakaway to keep the score tied late in the second half. It was Graessle's first career start and her sixth career game as she lowered her goals against average to 1.47.
GAME EXPERIENCE
Sarah Pandolfi, Daniella Maggio and Carly Glaser each played for the first time in a Bobcat uniform against Maine (8/22). Pandolfi and Maggio both started for Quinnipiac, while Glaser made an appearance in the 75th minute. Jillian Consolini also made her first appearance against UC Davis (8/31), seeing action up front for the Bobcats.
THE MAAC PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
The Quinnipiac University women's soccer team was tabbed seventh in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Preseason Coaches' Poll, announced by the league office on Tuesday, July 29, 2014. The Bobcats return 19 student-athletes from last year's squad, each with the same goal in mind of winning the 2014 MAAC Championship.
Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Monmouth (118)
2. Fairfield (115)
3. Siena (83)
4. Marist (80)
T5. Iona (76)
T5. Rider (76)
7. Quinnipiac (57)
8. Niagara (46)
T9. Canisius (32)
T9. Manhattan (32)
11. Saint Peter's (13)
THE HEAD COACH
With a win over Manhattan on Oct. 23rd head coach Dave Clarke picked up his 120th career victory. Now in his 16th season, Clarke has firmly cemented himself as one of the premiere college coaches in the NCAA's highest division. He effectively etched his signature on Quinnipiac soccer by becoming not only the winningest coach in its history, but leading his team to an NCAA Tournament berth in 2000 and a regular-season championship in 2001. In 15 seasons as a head coach at Quinnipiac, Clarke has a 121-125-28 record.
A FIRST FOR QUINNIPIAC
With the win over Saint Peter's on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013, the women's soccer team picked up the first MAAC win in any sport for Quinnipiac. The Bobcats women's soccer team was the first Quinnipiac team to win a game at the Division I level in 1998.
ON DECK
The Bobcats are back in action on Wednesday, Oct. 22 when they travel to Manhattan College. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Gaelic Park in Riverdale, N.Y. The Jaspers are currently ahead of Quinnipiac in the conference standings, setting up a crucial showdown in the Bronx.
