Saturday, September 19
Hamden, Conn.
1 pm
Quinnipiac University
vs
Rider
QU Women's Soccer Opens MAAC Play at Home on Saturday Against Defending Champ Rider
9/17/2015 1:30:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Quinnipiac Bobcats (4-2-0, 0-0-0 MAAC)
vs. Rider Broncs (3-3-0, 0-0-0 MAAC)
Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015 • 1:00 PM
QU Soccer Field • Hamden, Connecticut
All-Time Series vs. Rider (DI): 1-1 (1-1)
Last Meeting: Oct. 11, 2014 (L, 2-1) @ Rider
MAN… IT'S TIME FOR SOME MAAC-TION
After a very successful start to non-conference play, the Quinnipiac women's soccer team looks to carry the momentum into the start of the 2015 MAAC slate at home on Saturday. The 1:00 PM kickoff for the Bobcats is a big one as Quinnipiac welcomes the defending MAAC Champion Rider Broncs to the QU Soccer Field.
ALL-TIME AGAINST RIDER (1-1-0)
SCOUTING THE BRONCS
The Broncs are coming off an improbable run to the 2014 MAAC Championship, the first in program history, as Rider won three games in the postseason as the No. 4 seed to capture the conference title. Included in the three-game MAAC Tournament run was a 2-1 win in the First Round over No. 5 Siena, then came a 1-0 victory over the No. 1 seed and host Monmouth Hawks, after which the Broncs went on to defeat No. 2 Fairfield in penalty kicks to claim the title. Rider's 12-win 2014 season tied a program record for most wins in a single-season and the Broncs even challenged Washington in the NCAA Tournament, falling by a score of 1-0 out in Seattle. This season, Rider comes in with a 3-3 record at the start of MAAC play and own wins over Mount St. Mary's (3-2), Delaware State (3-0) and NJIT (1-0). The reigning MAAC Offensive Player of the Year Tara Ballay has been slowed by injury as she has only played in two out of the six games this season. Ballay's talent is significant as she was named an NSCAA All-East Region selection after leading the MAAC in goals and points despite missing five games in 2014 due to injury. Goalkeeper Bethany-May Howard, the 2014 MAAC Tournament MVP, is coming off a MAAC Defensive Player of the Week honor and has been solid thus far this season with a 3-3 record, 1.46 GAA and .842 save percentage with two shutouts. The Broncs' leading scorer is Kourtney Cunningham as she comes in with five points (two goals, one assist) but balance is key for this Rider attack as eight different players have scored at least one goal this season.
IMPORTANT IRELAND IMPORT
Freshman Jess Gargan continues her hot streak as she scored for the second straight game on Tuesday against Albany, just one day after receiving MAAC Rookie of the Week honors for the first time in her career. On Tuesday, Gargan scored the Bobcats' lone goal in a defeat at the hands of UAlbany and now has scored both of her goals in 2015 over the last two games. Her first career tally on Sunday against Maine also stood up as the game-winning goal.
THAT ESCALATED QUICKLY
Quinnipiac's offensive outburst this season continued on Sunday as the Bobcats scored three goals in the first 27:11 of play and went on to defeat Maine, 3-1. The three-goal first half barrage marked the first time Quinnipiac posted three goals in the first stanza since scoring three against Wagner on Oct. 5, 2012 in what resulted in a 4-1 victory.
I MEAN IT REALLY GOT OUT OF HAND FAST
Quinnipiac's three-goal first half featured the fastest recorded goal this season as Jess Fontaine found the back of the net just 1:25 into play. The Bobcats' last goal scored within the first two minutes of play came back on Sept. 30, 2011 as Furtuna Velaj scored at 1:57 in a 4-2 win over Fairleigh Dickinson.
FONTAINE OF YOUTH
Several Bobcats experienced career-firsts in the 3-1 win over Maine on Sept. 13, starting with the first career multi-goal game for junior Jess Fontaine. The Bobcats' active career scoring leader, with nine goals and seven assists in 38 career appearances, now has a team-leading nine points (three goals, three assists) through six games this season. The midfielder has either scored or assisted on 54.5 percent of the Bobcats' goals while she already tied her single-season career high total set back in 2013 (three goals, three assists).
GARGAN-TUAN GOAL
Among the other career firsts from the 3-1 victory over Maine included the first career goal and first career game-winning tally for freshman Jess Gargan. With two assists already on the season, Gargan's first goal came less than six minutes into play as she now ranks third on the team with six points in 2015.
POINTS APLENTY
Through just six games, the Bobcats have scored 11 goals and tallied 15 assists. Individually, Quinnipiac has 11 players who've registered at least one point and nine players with at least two points in 2015. The only school in the MAAC that has more players with at least two points is Canisius with 11 as Quinnipiac is tied with Saint Peter's and Siena for second place.
HIGH RANKING
Quinnipiac's freshman striker Nadya Gill finds herself in some elite company as she became the first player in program history to have her first three career goals all go down as game-winners for the Bobcats. Her three game-winning tallies in 2015 also has her ranked high on the national leaderboard as she is tied for 5th in the nation in game-winning goals.
HISTORY MADE
The history-making debut season continued for Nadya Gill, as she is the first Bobcat freshman since Furtuna Velaj in the 2008 season to record at least three goals and three game-winning goals in her opening season as a Bobcat. Gill's success through her first four games is unmatched in Quinnipiac women's soccer history as she is the first player to have each of her first three career goals go down as the game-winning tally.
GIVE THE ROOK HER DUE
Another Bobcat dominating in her first season on the team has been freshman center back Sarahkate Norton. Through four games in 2015, Norton leads all field players in minutes played this season (543) as she has played all but five minutes of action through the first six games of her career. Norton has been one of the backbones for a steady defensive effort thus far that has allowed just 5.4 shots-on-goal per game.
GOING BACK-TO-BACK
A week after earning the MAAC's Offensive Player of the Week award, Nadya Gill picked up her second straight weekly conference honor as she was named the MAAC Rookie of the Week on Sept. 7. Gill continues the torrid start to her career as she became the Bobcats' first back-to-back weekly award winner since Velaj was named Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week in consecutive weeks from Sept. 22-29, 2008.
KEEP THE W'S COMING
Quinnipiac is off to their best start since the 2012 season when they started the year 4-1-1 on their way to a 9-6-1 season in their final year in the Northeast Conference. Quinnipiac's road victory against Delaware State was its first away from the QU Soccer Field since Sept. 21, 2013 when they defeated Saint Peter's, 3-0, and the first non-conference road win since Sept. 2, 2012 when they knocked off Holy Cross, 1-0. Already with two road wins in 2015, the Bobcats have compiled more road wins this season than the previous two seasons combined.
OFFENSIVE OUTBURST
Offensive output certainly hasn't been the Bobcats' weakness through the first six games of 2015 as Quinnipiac has already scored 11 goals, including at least two goals scored in four of the six games this season. The average of 1.83 goals per game through six games to start a season is the highest goals per game average for the Bobcats in any single-season since the 2007 campaign where QU scored 16 goals (2.67 goals per game) through the first six contests.
OFFENSIVE OUTBURST (CONT.)
Perhaps even more impressive is the Bobcats' scoring streak has now hit six straight games to start the 2015 season in which QU has scored at least one goal. The last time the Bobcats have started a season with a longer goal scoring streak was the 2001 campaign wherein QU scored at least one goal in all 18 games.
MAAC ATTACK
Through five games in 2015, Quinnipiac ranks in the top half of the league in all major offensive categories. With 10 goals scored in five games, the Bobcats are tied for 2nd in the MAAC in goals per game (2.00), 1st in assists per game (2.80) and 2nd in goals against average (0.98). Individually, Jess Fontaine is tied for 4th in the MAAC in points (eight), 1st in points per game (1.60), tied for 6th in goals (three), tied for 3rd in goals per game (0.60) and tied for 4th in assists (two) and assists per game (0.40). Nadya Gill sits 7th in the MAAC in shots per game (3.40), tied for 5th in points per game (1.40), tied for 3rd in goals per game (0.60) and 1st in game-winning goals (three). Natalia Grodzki has the 2nd-best GAA in the MAAC (0.98) and also sits tied for 3rd in save percentage (.808).
YOUTH MOVEMENT
After bringing in a single-season program record 12 freshmen this offseason, Quinnipiac has reloaded in a big way as nine freshmen have entered in at least one game so far this season while seven rookies have played in all six games in 2014. Seven of the Bobcats' 11 goals (64 percent) and six of the team's 15 assists (40 percent) have been notched by QU freshmen this season.
NADYA GILL THE THRILL
Freshman Nadya Gill made history on Aug. 31 as she was named the MAAC Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week. Gill became the first Quinnipiac women's soccer weekly award winner since Natalia Grodzki was named the Defensive Player of the Week twice in 2013, most recently on Oct. 28, 2013. Gill is also the first offensive player to win Player of the Week honors since Kemeshaa Woodfine on Sept. 4, 2012 and is the first rookie to be named Player of the Week since Furtuna Velaj on Oct. 6, 2008, both awards coming when the Bobcats were still a member of the Northeast Conference.
WHAT A DEBUT
Nadya Gill started her Bobcat career off with a bang as she tucked home the game-winning goal 7:46 into overtime for the Bobcats. She is the first Quinnipiac women's soccer player to have her first career goal result in the game-winner since Furtuna Velaj in 2008. Gill fired a game-high six shots and three on goal for the Bobcats against Holy Cross.
MAD-NESS
Gill was not the only freshman to tally goal in the season opener for the Bobcats as Madison Borowiec registered her first career goal with just 19 seconds remaining in the first half to provide the Bobcats with the equalizer heading into halftime. Borowiec was the first freshman since Jessica Fontaine in 2013 to score the first goal of the season for the Bobcats.
STARTING OFF THE SEASON RIGHT
Quinnipiac started off the season on a high note with its 2-1, overtime victory over the Holy Cross Crusaders on Monday. It is the first time since the 2012 season in which the Bobcats opened up the season with a win. In 2012, the Bobcats opened up the season 3-0, starting with a 1-0 win over the Providence Friars.
SENIOR ANCHOR
Goalkeeper Natalia Grodzki had a strong senior season debut for the Bobcats, making six saves in the victory. It was the eighth time in her career that she had recorded at least six saves, most recently recording six saves on Oct. 22, 2014 against Manhattan. Grodzki followed that up with a two-save shutout against Delaware State to up his career win total to eight while also tallying her fifth career clean sheet. She then notched five saves to pick up her third win of the season and ninth of her career at Vermont.
OFFENSIVE PRESENCE
Quinnipiac turned up the heat on the Crusaders offensively in the first game of the season, recording 16 shots with seven on goal in the victory. The Bobcats 16 shots are the fourth-most recorded in a game dating back to last season. QU followed that up with 14 shot attempts at Delaware St. and are now 3-1-1 when recording at least 14 shots in that timespan.
UP NEXT
The Quinnipiac women's soccer team continues MAAC play on Saturday, Sept. 26 with a matchup at Saint Peter's.
vs. Rider Broncs (3-3-0, 0-0-0 MAAC)
Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015 • 1:00 PM
QU Soccer Field • Hamden, Connecticut
All-Time Series vs. Rider (DI): 1-1 (1-1)
Last Meeting: Oct. 11, 2014 (L, 2-1) @ Rider
MAN… IT'S TIME FOR SOME MAAC-TION
After a very successful start to non-conference play, the Quinnipiac women's soccer team looks to carry the momentum into the start of the 2015 MAAC slate at home on Saturday. The 1:00 PM kickoff for the Bobcats is a big one as Quinnipiac welcomes the defending MAAC Champion Rider Broncs to the QU Soccer Field.
ALL-TIME AGAINST RIDER (1-1-0)
- Quinnipiac and Rider have squared off just twice in the series history, both of which coming as conference opponents starting when the Bobcats joined the MAAC in 2013
- Kelly Caruso and Jess Fontaine each picked up assists in the Bobcats' 2-0 win over the Broncs back in the 2013 season as Natalia Grodzki made four saves in the shutout victory
- In last year's meeting in New Jersey, the Broncs struck for two first half goals and hung on after Caruso scored off an assist from Jessica Jankowski for the 2-1 victory
SCOUTING THE BRONCS
The Broncs are coming off an improbable run to the 2014 MAAC Championship, the first in program history, as Rider won three games in the postseason as the No. 4 seed to capture the conference title. Included in the three-game MAAC Tournament run was a 2-1 win in the First Round over No. 5 Siena, then came a 1-0 victory over the No. 1 seed and host Monmouth Hawks, after which the Broncs went on to defeat No. 2 Fairfield in penalty kicks to claim the title. Rider's 12-win 2014 season tied a program record for most wins in a single-season and the Broncs even challenged Washington in the NCAA Tournament, falling by a score of 1-0 out in Seattle. This season, Rider comes in with a 3-3 record at the start of MAAC play and own wins over Mount St. Mary's (3-2), Delaware State (3-0) and NJIT (1-0). The reigning MAAC Offensive Player of the Year Tara Ballay has been slowed by injury as she has only played in two out of the six games this season. Ballay's talent is significant as she was named an NSCAA All-East Region selection after leading the MAAC in goals and points despite missing five games in 2014 due to injury. Goalkeeper Bethany-May Howard, the 2014 MAAC Tournament MVP, is coming off a MAAC Defensive Player of the Week honor and has been solid thus far this season with a 3-3 record, 1.46 GAA and .842 save percentage with two shutouts. The Broncs' leading scorer is Kourtney Cunningham as she comes in with five points (two goals, one assist) but balance is key for this Rider attack as eight different players have scored at least one goal this season.
IMPORTANT IRELAND IMPORT
Freshman Jess Gargan continues her hot streak as she scored for the second straight game on Tuesday against Albany, just one day after receiving MAAC Rookie of the Week honors for the first time in her career. On Tuesday, Gargan scored the Bobcats' lone goal in a defeat at the hands of UAlbany and now has scored both of her goals in 2015 over the last two games. Her first career tally on Sunday against Maine also stood up as the game-winning goal.
THAT ESCALATED QUICKLY
Quinnipiac's offensive outburst this season continued on Sunday as the Bobcats scored three goals in the first 27:11 of play and went on to defeat Maine, 3-1. The three-goal first half barrage marked the first time Quinnipiac posted three goals in the first stanza since scoring three against Wagner on Oct. 5, 2012 in what resulted in a 4-1 victory.
I MEAN IT REALLY GOT OUT OF HAND FAST
Quinnipiac's three-goal first half featured the fastest recorded goal this season as Jess Fontaine found the back of the net just 1:25 into play. The Bobcats' last goal scored within the first two minutes of play came back on Sept. 30, 2011 as Furtuna Velaj scored at 1:57 in a 4-2 win over Fairleigh Dickinson.
FONTAINE OF YOUTH
Several Bobcats experienced career-firsts in the 3-1 win over Maine on Sept. 13, starting with the first career multi-goal game for junior Jess Fontaine. The Bobcats' active career scoring leader, with nine goals and seven assists in 38 career appearances, now has a team-leading nine points (three goals, three assists) through six games this season. The midfielder has either scored or assisted on 54.5 percent of the Bobcats' goals while she already tied her single-season career high total set back in 2013 (three goals, three assists).
GARGAN-TUAN GOAL
Among the other career firsts from the 3-1 victory over Maine included the first career goal and first career game-winning tally for freshman Jess Gargan. With two assists already on the season, Gargan's first goal came less than six minutes into play as she now ranks third on the team with six points in 2015.
POINTS APLENTY
Through just six games, the Bobcats have scored 11 goals and tallied 15 assists. Individually, Quinnipiac has 11 players who've registered at least one point and nine players with at least two points in 2015. The only school in the MAAC that has more players with at least two points is Canisius with 11 as Quinnipiac is tied with Saint Peter's and Siena for second place.
HIGH RANKING
Quinnipiac's freshman striker Nadya Gill finds herself in some elite company as she became the first player in program history to have her first three career goals all go down as game-winners for the Bobcats. Her three game-winning tallies in 2015 also has her ranked high on the national leaderboard as she is tied for 5th in the nation in game-winning goals.
HISTORY MADE
The history-making debut season continued for Nadya Gill, as she is the first Bobcat freshman since Furtuna Velaj in the 2008 season to record at least three goals and three game-winning goals in her opening season as a Bobcat. Gill's success through her first four games is unmatched in Quinnipiac women's soccer history as she is the first player to have each of her first three career goals go down as the game-winning tally.
GIVE THE ROOK HER DUE
Another Bobcat dominating in her first season on the team has been freshman center back Sarahkate Norton. Through four games in 2015, Norton leads all field players in minutes played this season (543) as she has played all but five minutes of action through the first six games of her career. Norton has been one of the backbones for a steady defensive effort thus far that has allowed just 5.4 shots-on-goal per game.
GOING BACK-TO-BACK
A week after earning the MAAC's Offensive Player of the Week award, Nadya Gill picked up her second straight weekly conference honor as she was named the MAAC Rookie of the Week on Sept. 7. Gill continues the torrid start to her career as she became the Bobcats' first back-to-back weekly award winner since Velaj was named Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week in consecutive weeks from Sept. 22-29, 2008.
KEEP THE W'S COMING
Quinnipiac is off to their best start since the 2012 season when they started the year 4-1-1 on their way to a 9-6-1 season in their final year in the Northeast Conference. Quinnipiac's road victory against Delaware State was its first away from the QU Soccer Field since Sept. 21, 2013 when they defeated Saint Peter's, 3-0, and the first non-conference road win since Sept. 2, 2012 when they knocked off Holy Cross, 1-0. Already with two road wins in 2015, the Bobcats have compiled more road wins this season than the previous two seasons combined.
OFFENSIVE OUTBURST
Offensive output certainly hasn't been the Bobcats' weakness through the first six games of 2015 as Quinnipiac has already scored 11 goals, including at least two goals scored in four of the six games this season. The average of 1.83 goals per game through six games to start a season is the highest goals per game average for the Bobcats in any single-season since the 2007 campaign where QU scored 16 goals (2.67 goals per game) through the first six contests.
OFFENSIVE OUTBURST (CONT.)
Perhaps even more impressive is the Bobcats' scoring streak has now hit six straight games to start the 2015 season in which QU has scored at least one goal. The last time the Bobcats have started a season with a longer goal scoring streak was the 2001 campaign wherein QU scored at least one goal in all 18 games.
MAAC ATTACK
Through five games in 2015, Quinnipiac ranks in the top half of the league in all major offensive categories. With 10 goals scored in five games, the Bobcats are tied for 2nd in the MAAC in goals per game (2.00), 1st in assists per game (2.80) and 2nd in goals against average (0.98). Individually, Jess Fontaine is tied for 4th in the MAAC in points (eight), 1st in points per game (1.60), tied for 6th in goals (three), tied for 3rd in goals per game (0.60) and tied for 4th in assists (two) and assists per game (0.40). Nadya Gill sits 7th in the MAAC in shots per game (3.40), tied for 5th in points per game (1.40), tied for 3rd in goals per game (0.60) and 1st in game-winning goals (three). Natalia Grodzki has the 2nd-best GAA in the MAAC (0.98) and also sits tied for 3rd in save percentage (.808).
YOUTH MOVEMENT
After bringing in a single-season program record 12 freshmen this offseason, Quinnipiac has reloaded in a big way as nine freshmen have entered in at least one game so far this season while seven rookies have played in all six games in 2014. Seven of the Bobcats' 11 goals (64 percent) and six of the team's 15 assists (40 percent) have been notched by QU freshmen this season.
NADYA GILL THE THRILL
Freshman Nadya Gill made history on Aug. 31 as she was named the MAAC Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week. Gill became the first Quinnipiac women's soccer weekly award winner since Natalia Grodzki was named the Defensive Player of the Week twice in 2013, most recently on Oct. 28, 2013. Gill is also the first offensive player to win Player of the Week honors since Kemeshaa Woodfine on Sept. 4, 2012 and is the first rookie to be named Player of the Week since Furtuna Velaj on Oct. 6, 2008, both awards coming when the Bobcats were still a member of the Northeast Conference.
WHAT A DEBUT
Nadya Gill started her Bobcat career off with a bang as she tucked home the game-winning goal 7:46 into overtime for the Bobcats. She is the first Quinnipiac women's soccer player to have her first career goal result in the game-winner since Furtuna Velaj in 2008. Gill fired a game-high six shots and three on goal for the Bobcats against Holy Cross.
MAD-NESS
Gill was not the only freshman to tally goal in the season opener for the Bobcats as Madison Borowiec registered her first career goal with just 19 seconds remaining in the first half to provide the Bobcats with the equalizer heading into halftime. Borowiec was the first freshman since Jessica Fontaine in 2013 to score the first goal of the season for the Bobcats.
STARTING OFF THE SEASON RIGHT
Quinnipiac started off the season on a high note with its 2-1, overtime victory over the Holy Cross Crusaders on Monday. It is the first time since the 2012 season in which the Bobcats opened up the season with a win. In 2012, the Bobcats opened up the season 3-0, starting with a 1-0 win over the Providence Friars.
SENIOR ANCHOR
Goalkeeper Natalia Grodzki had a strong senior season debut for the Bobcats, making six saves in the victory. It was the eighth time in her career that she had recorded at least six saves, most recently recording six saves on Oct. 22, 2014 against Manhattan. Grodzki followed that up with a two-save shutout against Delaware State to up his career win total to eight while also tallying her fifth career clean sheet. She then notched five saves to pick up her third win of the season and ninth of her career at Vermont.
OFFENSIVE PRESENCE
Quinnipiac turned up the heat on the Crusaders offensively in the first game of the season, recording 16 shots with seven on goal in the victory. The Bobcats 16 shots are the fourth-most recorded in a game dating back to last season. QU followed that up with 14 shot attempts at Delaware St. and are now 3-1-1 when recording at least 14 shots in that timespan.
UP NEXT
The Quinnipiac women's soccer team continues MAAC play on Saturday, Sept. 26 with a matchup at Saint Peter's.
Players Mentioned
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