
QU Women's Soccer Hosts Senior Day against Saint Peter's on Saturday at 1 PM
10/23/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Quinnipiac University (2-12-1, 1-6-1 MAAC) vs.
Saint Peter's University (1-16-0, 1-7-0 MAAC)
Saturday, October 25, 2014 • 1:00 PM
QU Soccer Field • Hamden, Conn.
All-Time Series vs. SPU (DI): 5-0-0 (5-0-0)
Last Meeting: September 21, 2013 | W, 3-0 | Jersey City, N.J.
- Quinnipiac Women's Soccer Homepage
- Saint Peter's Women's Soccer Homepage
- Quinnipiac Women's Soccer Stat Packet
- Live Stats: QuinnipiacBobcats.com
- Live Video: QuinnipiacBobcats.com
- Live Twitter: @QUAthletics; @QUWomensSoccer
THE HOME FINALE
The Quinnipiac University women's soccer team (2-12-1, 1-6-1 MAAC) will wrap up its home slate on Saturday, Oct. 25 when Saint Peter's University (1-16, 1-7 MAAC) comes for Senior Day in Hamden. The Bobcats' final home game is set for 1 p.m. at the QU Soccer Field on Mount Carmel Campus.
SENIOR DAY
Prior to kickoff, the Quinnipiac University Department of Athletics and Recreation and head coach Dave Clarke will honor eight senior class members for their hard work and dedication to the women's soccer program. Quinnipiac will recognize student athletic trainer Nicole Guido, director of video operations Alex Cosgrove, and the six senior student-athletes – Christina Cesarini, Jess Lavoie, Caitlyn Shaw, Tori Graessle, Kat Young and Angela Ellison – with a brief ceremony about 15 minutes before the game.
ALL-TIME AGAINST SAINT PETER'S
The Bobcats have a perfect all-time record of 5-0 against the Peacocks. Last season, Quinnipiac continued its dominance with a 3-0 win for it's first-ever MAAC win. Jessica Fontaine was the offensive catalyst with a goal and two assists in the game – in route to a MAAC Rookie of the Week laurel. Prior to last year's encounter, the most recent victory came on Sept. 2, 2007 in Jersey City. Quinnipiac has a 2-0 record at home and a 3-0 record on the road against Saint Peter's.
SCOUTING THE PEACOCKS
Saint Peter's enters Saturday's game with a 1-16 overall record and a 1-7 mark in MAAC play. SPU's lone win came in the first MAAC game of the season when the Peacocks handed Canisius a 3-1 loss in Jersey City. After falling behind, the Peacocks mustered three goals late in the second half to claim three points in the league standings. However, since that day on Sept. 18, Saint Peter's has lost nine straight including seven against conference opposition. The Peacocks are led offensively by Greta Vogel who has three goals and one assist on the season. Ashley Drozd (2) and Kristina Neri (2) each have multiple goals as well. Lauren Solene will likely see time in goal, boasting a 3.89 goal against average and a .694 save percentage. She is coming off of an eight save performance in the overtime loss to Rider.
LAST TIME OUT
Quinnipiac suffered a 1-0 setback on Wednesday (10/22), as the Bobcats fell to Manhattan College on a rainy and windy evening from Gaelic Park in Riverdale, N.Y. The loss eliminated the Bobcats from playoff contention.
GRAZZI GRODZKI
Natalia Grodzki has been very good for the Bobcats all year, and the last three games haven't been any different. Grodzki combined to make 18 saves between the posts, going 1-2 during the stretch. 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. Last time out, Grodzki made six saves against the Jaspers (10/22). Grodzki lowered her career goal against average to 1.26 and g her save percentage to .765.
ERIKSEN'S LATE GAME HEROICS
Junior 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
Quinnipiac concluded the 2014 campaign on Wednesday, Oct. 29 at Siena College. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. at Siena's Turf Field in Loudonville, N.Y.