QU Women’s Soccer Drops Non-Conference Match, 4-1, to UAlbany

Tuesday, September 15

Hamden, Conn.

4 pm

Quinnipiac University

4-2-0

Albany

4-4-0

UAlbany

Quinnipiac

QU Women’s Soccer Drops Non-Conference Match, 4-1, to UAlbany

9/15/2015 6:31:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: QU Sports Information

HAMDEN, Connecticut – The Quinnipiac University women's soccer team dropped a non-conference match to regional foe UAlbany, 4-1, from the QU Soccer Field. The loss snaps the Bobcats' two-game winning streak as QU drops to 4-2 on the year while the Great Danes improve to 4-4.

Quinnipiac Jess Gargan (Dublin, Ireland) scored the lone goal for the Bobcats, her second straight game with a tally. Jess Fontaine (Enfield, Connecticut) extended her career-long scoring streak to five games as the junior midfielder picked up the assist on the Gargan goal, her third helper of the season.

"I'm disappointed in the loss," said Quinnipiac head coach Dave Clarke. "I never saw the last two Albany goals coming so we'll take this one on the chin, regroup and start conference play on Saturday."

UAlbany came in averaging just a tick under two goals per game and their offense certainly shined in this Tuesday afternoon match, starting with a tally from Alexa Schneider at the 35:09 mark. Kiana Rugar set the play up with a push up the near side wing before centering a pass for Schneider at the near post. Quinnipiac keeper Natalia Grodzki (Bartlett, Illinois) came out to challenge the pass but Schneider flicked a header on the ball that ended up in the back of the net.

A second half team for most of the season, Quinnipiac came into play today outscoring their opposition, 5-2, after halftime but the Great Danes broke through for three goals in the second stanza. Vivian Vega capitalized on an opportunity as she carried the ball into the Bobcats' defensive zone and pushed the ball to the left to create a shooting lane. The low blast beat Grodzki as the senior keeper's dive was just short of the shot.

Trailing two goals, Quinnipiac pushed forward with several scoring chances early in the second half, finally breaking through with the Gargan goal. Fontaine created the chance as she pushed the ball up the near side before reaching the end line. Using her left foot, she thread the needle past a diving UAlbany defender to Gargan who was waiting uncovered at the far post. Gargan's tally was her second of the season while Fontaine's assist was the seventh of her career.

Still pressing with time dwindling down, Quinnipiac was gifted another prime scoring chance midway through the second half. After the ball took a fortuitous bounce in the box, Nadya Gill (Toronto, Ontario) found herself 15 feet away from the cage with an open look at a shot. The freshman forward took a right footed swing right to Fontaine but her deflection skidded wide of the near post.

With the Bobcats' defenders creeping more up the field as the game went on, UAlbany had their chances on the counter attack and retook the two-goal advantage as the clock dwindled down under 10 minutes remaining. Rugan finished off the play as Vega found her open in the middle after the Great Danes had numbers pushing back up the field. Grodzki's dive was again just inches short as the margin became 3-1 UAlbany.

Rugar added another goal with just 1:20 remaining to make it 4-1 before the final buzzer went off.

"One thing that we've done well since we came in for preseason was to emphasize we have four seasons with this team," said Quinnipiac head coach Dave Clarke. "Preseason, non-conference, the MAAC slate and then postseason. We've had specific goals in each season and to be fair we've accomplished all our goals we set for non-conference play. Now it's time to move on and reestablish new goals in the MAAC."

Quinnipiac looks to regain momentum heading into the weekend for a big Saturday matchup as the Bobcats play host to the defending MAAC Champion Rider Broncs at 1 PM.