QU Men's Soccer Hosts Home Finale Saturday

Saturday, October 24

Hamden, CT

2 pm

Quinnipiac University

Iona

10/23/2015 9:24:00 AM | Men's Soccer

By: QU Sports Information

Quinnipiac University (1-8-5, 1-3-3 MAAC) vs

Iona College (9-6-1, 5-3 MAAC)
Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015 • 2 PM
QU Soccer Field • Hamden, Conn.
All-Time Series vs. Iona: 3-1-3
Last Meeting: QU 2-1 (Nov. 1, 2014 at New Rochelle, N.Y.)

BOBCATS PLAY HOME FINALE
The Quinnipiac men's soccer team hosts its final home game of the 2015 season this afternoon when Iona College visits QU Soccer Field. Prior to the game, the nine seniors on this year's Bobcat squad will be honored.

WHITE OUT
The Quinnipiac Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) will be sponsoring a "White Out" as part of the home finale for the men's soccer team. Fans are encouraged to wear white, and the first 500 in attendance will receive free t-shirts. The SAAC will also be providing refreshements at the contest.

SENIOR DAY
Prior to the game, Quinnipiac will honor the nine members of this year's senior class. The seniors have been a part of three regular season conference championships in the last three years (2012 in the NEC, 2013-2014 in the MAAC) and have a combined 24-5-11 in conference games in the last four years, including an undefeated MAAC season (7-0-3) a year ago. The class of 2016 helped the Bobcats reach the NCAA Division I Tournament in 2013 after winning the MAAC regular season and postseason titles.This year's senior class includes players from Germany (Tobias Esche), New Zealand (Erik Panzer - pictured), and France (Simon Brossier), as well as two from New Jersey (Stevenson Hawkey, James Greco), two from Connecticut (Nick Lasewicz, Joe Da Graca) and two from Massachusetts (Justin Kody, Tanor Jobe).

LAST GAME
The Bobcats played to a 0-0 tie with Fairfield on Wednesday at QU Soccer Field, their fifth tie of the season. Junior goalie Triston Henry had four saves to get the shutout, including a key one from point blank range midway through the first overtime. For most of the contest, senior defenders Tobias Esche, Erik Panzer and Stevenson Hawkey kept the Fairfield offense at bay, as Henry only had to make one difficult save in regulation, a diving stop off a free kick in the 22nd minute, the first shot for either team in the contest. Sophomore William Pustari had the best chances for the Bobcats, forcing goalie Matt Turner into a diving stop late in the first half and then narrowly missing a one-timer off a cross by inches early in the first overtime. Quinnipiac finished with a narrow 14-13 edge in shot attempts for the match, which was the second straight scoreless draw with the Stags after the teams also played to a 0-0 tie in the MAAC semifinals last season.

DOMINANT IN CONFERENCE
Quinnipiac has had a remarkable run of success in conference play over the last few seasons. From 2012-2014, the Bobcats lost only two conference games in three years, going 8-1-1 in their final season in the Northeast Conference (2012) and then earning 7-1-2 and 7-0-3 marks in their first two seasons in the MAAC. Quinnipiac had a 17-game unbeaten streak (10-0-7) against MAAC opponents snapped in its conference opener this season against Saint Peter's. Over the last four years, Quinnipiac is a combined 23-5-13 in 41 games overall against conference opponents (including tournament games).

SCOUTING IONA
The Gaels enter the weekend with a 9-6-1 overall record and a 5-3 mark in conference play and are riding a four-game winning streak. Iona's streak started with a 1-0 double overtime win over Canisius on Oct. 10 and has continued with wins over Marist (5-2), Siena (2-0) and Saint Peter's (2-1). Iona also has a 6-1 win over Niagara earlier this season, showing an offense that has the capability of erupting for multiple goals. Daniel Huerta and Marcos Nunez represent arguably the top one-two scoring punch in the MAAC, with Huerta tallying seven goals and five assists, and Nunez racking up six goals and seven assists, tying the two players with 19 points. Daniel Ocana Garcia has also added five assists, while Brendan Riordan has four goals. Julian Petrello has had a strong season in goal for Iona as well, tallying an 0.85 goals against average and an .817 save percentage.

LAST YEAR'S MEETING
Quinnipiac traveled to New Rochelle late in the regular season a year ago and came away with a big 2-1 win to secure the regular season MAAC title. After a scoreless first half, graduated senior Machel Baker broke the tie with a goal in the 54th minute, blasting in a 25-yard shot for an unassisted tally. The lead would grow to 2-0 on an own goal at the 64:56 mark, which would prove to be significant after Iona got a goal back just 2:30 later from Ignacio Maganto to pull the Gaels back within 2-1. Senior goalie Borja Angiotia had eight saves to allow the 2-1 lead to hold up the rest of the way.

GOLAZO, GOLAZO
The Bobcats have had a pair of highlight-reel quality goals in the last two weeks. Sophomore midfielder Max Rothenbucher cranked in a 30-yard shot in a 1-1 tie at Niagara on Oct. 3, giving the Bobcats a 1-0 lead in the first half. Then at Manhattan on Oct. 14, freshman midfielder Matt Taylor scored his first collegiate goal on a 25-yard bomb just 2:49 into the contest, providing the eventual game-winner in a 2-0 victory.

MAGIC NUMBER TWO
Five upperclassmen on the Bobcats scored their second career goals in a span of three weeks. In a game against Holy Cross on Sept. 12, sophomore John-John Diaz found the net for the second time in his career (his first came against Saint Peter's last year). Against Yale on Sept. 19, senior Tobias Esche and junior Ryan Scheiderman both scored their second career goals. Esche slammed home a penalty kick for the Bobcats first goal while Scheiderman scored in traffic inside the box with 20 seconds remaining. On Sept. 22 at St. John's, senior Justin Kody found the net for the second time in his career when he headed in a cross in the opening half of a 1-1 tie. Finally, sophomore Max Rothenbucher joined the two-goal club when he blasted in a 30-yard shot in the first half against Niagara on Oct. 3. Scheiderman and Esche have since added their third goals.

THE THORN IN THEIR PAW
Monmouth, which joined Quinnipiac in moving from the NEC to the MAAC in 2013, gave the Bobcats their only two conference losses in a span of three years (an NEC loss in 2012 and a MAAC loss in 2013). Against every other league foe, Quinnipiac is a combined 22-2-9 in conference play since the start of the 2012 season, but 0-3-1 against Monmouth.

DALLY'S FIRST TALLY
Freshman forward Rashawn Dally cored his first career goal in a 2-1 loss at Holy Cross on Sept. 12. Dally received the ball in open space and fired a strike through the keeper's legs for the score. The goal also marked the first of the season for Quinnipiac, which was shut out in its first three games (by Boston College, Connecticut and Brown).

CAREER HIGH
Junior goalie Triston Henry, in his first season with Quinnipiac, registered a career high 12 saves in a loss to Brown on Sept. 4. The Bobcat goalkeeper stopped five shots in the first half before tallying seven more in the second frame. He now has 54 saves on the year in the first 14 contests, including six in a shutout against against his former team (Connecticut) on Aug. 31 and two in his second shutout against Manhattan on Oct. 10.

FRESH FACES
Three Bobcats made their first career starts for Quinnipiac in the season opener against Boston College. Junior goalkeeper Triston Henry, freshman defender Oscar Evans, and freshman forward Rashawn Dally all made their debuts in the starting lineup. Fellow freshman Matt Taylor missed that contest, but has since moved into the starting lineup in the midfield to give the Bobcats four new faces in the regular 11, while freshman midfielder/forward Colton Grob has earned a pair of recent starts as well.

DA COSTA REIGNING MAAC COACH OF YEAR
Quinnipiac's Eric Da Costa was recognized last season as the 2014 MAAC Coach of the year after leading the Bobcats to a 7-0-3 conference record. Now entering his eleventh season at the helm, Da Costa has helped Quinnipiac capture its last three regular season championships (two in the MAAC, one in the NEC).

THREE'S COMPANY
The Bobcats return three All-MAAC selections from last season's team, senior Tobias Esche, junior James Doig, and sophomore Shaquille Huggins. Esche returns to anchor the Quinnipiac defense which ranked second in GAA (0.56), and goals allowed (6), while also ranking third in shutouts (5). Doig earned his second All-MAAC honor after earning the honor as a freshman. As a sophomore, Doig led Quinnipiac in assists (6) while adding ten points and two goals. Huggins earned a spot on the All-MAAC Rookie Team after for his strong play and being a key player in the Quinnipiac midfield offensive attack.

LOOKING AHEAD
Quinnipiac has two road games to close out the 2015 season, heading to Siena on Wednesday and Rider on Saturday. The Bobcats will then head to Kissimmee, Florida for this year's MAAC Tournament, which will be held from Nov. 5-9.

FOLLOW THE BOBCATS
Fans can follow Quinnipiac men's soccer and all of the Quinnipiac teams on QuinnipiacBobcats.com or on twitter at QUAthletics. You can also follow Quinnipiac men's soccer on Twitter at QU_MSOC