Crucial MAAC Game Set for QU Women's Soccer Wednesday Night at Manhattan
10/20/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Quinnipiac University (2-11-1, 1-5-1 MAAC) at
Manhattan College (6-7-2, 1-4-2 MAAC)
Wednesday, October 22, 2014 • 7:00 PM
Gaelic Park • Riverdale, N.Y.
All-Time Series vs. Manhattan (DI): 2-2-0 (2-2-0)
Last Meeting: October 31, 2013 | L, 1-0 | Orlando, Fla.
- Quinnipiac Women's Soccer Homepage
- Manhattan Women's Soccer Homepage
- Quinnipiac Women's Soccer Stat Packet
- Live Stats: GoJaspers.com
- Live Video: GoJaspers.com
- Live Twitter: @QUAthletics; @QUWomensSoccer
QU HEADS TO MANHATTAN
The Quinnipiac University women's soccer team (2-11-1, 1-5-1 MAAC) is back in action on Wednesday, Oct. 22 when the Bobcats head to Manhattan College (6-7-2, 1-4-2 MAAC). Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Gaelic Park in the Bronx.
ALL-TIME AGAINST MANHATTAN
Quinnipiac has a 2-2-0 all-time record against Manhattan. The Bobcats seek revenge on Wednesday, as it was Manhattan's 1-0 victory in the MAAC Tournament that ended their season a year ago. Earlier in 2013, Quinnipiac bested Manhattan by a final score of 1-0 in Hamden. Prior to last season, they tri-state foes split a pair of meetings beginning in 1998 when Quinnipiac joined the Division I ranks.
SCOUTING THE JASPERS
Manhattan enters Wednesday's bout with a 6-7-2 record overall and a 1-4-2 mark in MAAC play. The majority of Manhattan's success came in non-conference play where the Jaspers picked up five wins in their first eight games. Since then, Manhattan is just 1-4-2 and currently riding a five-game winless streak. Most recently, Manhattan was on the wrong end of a 3-1 result at Rider this past weekend. Senior Aislinn McIlvenny has been the bright spot offensively, as the 2013 leading scorer has eight goals and three assists while starting in all 15 games. Sam Washuk is the other multi-goal scorer with three on the season. Defensively, Kristen Skonieczny owns one of the best save percentages (.812) in the MAAC. She is 6-5-1 on the year with a 1.12 goal against average.
LAST TIME OUT
Quinnipiac team went toe-to-toe with the MAAC's top ranked squad on Saturday (10/18), falling short by a final count of 1-0 from Hesse Field on the Great Lawn in West Long Branch, N.J. Senior Natalia Grodzki was sensational but a first half goal in the 11th minute was the difference in the outcome.
PLAYOFF SCENARIO
Six teams are fighting for the final two playoff spots with three games left on the schedule. With three wins and some help around the league, Quinnipiac would be in the playoffs come November. Siena (12), Canisius (9), Iona (9), Marist (6), Manhattan (5) and Quinnipiac (4) are all in the mix for tournament play.
GRAZZI GRODZKI
Natalia Grodzki has been very good for the Bobcats all year, and last week wasn't any different. Grodzki combined to make 12 saves between the posts in a 1-1 week for the Bobcats. She began the week with four saves in the double-overtime victory over Marist (10/15), collecting her sixth career win in the process. Later in the week, she shined against the league's top-ranked offense at Monmouth (10/18). She posted a season-high eight saves which featured four in each half of play. Grodzki lowered her career goal against average to 1.26 and g her save percentage to .761.
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.
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 16 seasons as a head coach at Quinnipiac, Clarke has a 122-130-29 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 for Senior Day at the QU Soccer Field on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2014. Quinnipiac welcomes Saint Peter's to Hamden for a 1 p.m. kickoff. Prior to the start of the game, Quinnipiac will honor its senior class members for their dedication to the women's soccer program.
