MAAC Women's Soccer Semifinal Preview: #4 Quinnipiac vs. #2 Siena

Friday, November 4

Hesse Field on the Great Lawn - West Long Branch, NJ

8:00 PM

Quinnipiac University

Siena

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MAAC Women's Soccer Semifinal Preview: #4 Quinnipiac vs. #2 Siena

11/2/2016 5:08:00 PM | Women's Soccer

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Bobcats Coming Off First Postseason Win in 16 Years, Looking for First Appearance in MAAC Championship Game in Program History

By: QU Sports Information

MAAC Semifinal
#4 Quinnipiac Bobcats (10-6-1, 6-4 MAAC) vs.
#5 Siena Saints (9-6-3, 7-3 MAAC)
Friday, November 4, 2016 • 8:00 PM
Hesse Field on the Great Lawn • West Long Branch, NJ
All-Time Series vs. Siena: 3-7-1

FOLLOW THE GAME

The No. 4 seed Quinnipiac women's soccer team heads into the MAAC Tournament semifinal round coming off a convincing 3-0 MAAC Quarterfinal victory at home over No. 5 Canisius. The three-goal win over the Golden Griffins stands as the first home conference playoff victory in program history in what was just the second postseason game played in Hamden in program history. Now the Bobcats enter the championship weekend with a semifinal matchup against the reigning MAAC Champion No. 2 Siena in a game that'll be played on a neutral field as No. 1 Monmouth is the host site for the MAAC Tournament semifinal and championship round.

ALL-TIME AGAINST SIENA (3-7-1)

Quinnipiac has seen its fair share of struggles in recent member against the Saints, entering with a 3-7-1 overall mark against Siena, including an eight-game winless streak (0-7-1) heading into Friday's contest
Siena won a bid into the MAAC Tournament last year thanks to a 2-0 win over Quinnipiac in the 2015 regular season finale wherein the winner of that game in Hamden would advance into the postseason
Ranked as the No. 6 seed in the 2015 MAAC Tournament, Siena catapulted from that 2-0 win over the Bobcats and rolled to the MAAC Championship
The first meeting between both teams as conference foes (2013) ended in a 1-1 tie as Aine McKeever scored a penalty kick equalizer with just six minutes remaining in regulation to force a draw in Hamden
The Bobcats are just 1-5 in games played away from home in the all-time series
Two of the last five matchups against Siena have gone into overtime, with the Bobcats going 0-1-1 in those meetings
Quinnipiac's last win against the Saints came back on Sept. 23, 2007 when the Bobcats defeated Siena, 5-2, in a non-conference matchup from Hamden

SCOUTING REPORT: SIENA

Siena (9-6-3, 7-3 MAAC) has been near the top of the MAAC leaderboard all season long as the Saints clinched a first round bye prior to their regular season finale at Canisius
A disappointing non-conference run saw Siena finish 2-3-3 prior to the start of MAAC play in mid-September
Opening conference play with a 4-0 mark, the Saints were high up on the MAAC leaderboard with undefeated Monmouth but losses to Rider and the Hawks stalled chances at the top overall seed
Fans will remember a thrilling run to the 2015 MAAC Championship that saw Siena upset the top three seeds in succession as Siena upended No. 3 Marist (1-0), No. 1 Monmouth (2-1) and No. 2 Manhattan (5-2) on the way to the title
This year's team is one of the highest-scoring in the MAAC as the Saints come in averaging the second-most goals per game (2.20) in MAAC-only games
The Saints also predicate themselves on passing the ball as Siena sits atop the conference leaderboard in terms of assists per game (3.30) in league games
Team defense has also been a calling card all season as the Saints sit tied for second in the conference in goals-against average (0.99) in 10 MAAC games
Depth of scoring is a key for this Siena side as 10 different players have scored at least one goal this season while 13 players have registered at least one point
Kelsey Horst is the team's leading scorer coming in with 18 points while pumping in six goals (tied for team lead) with six assists (second on the team
Michele Tremblay (6 G, 3 A) and Madison Vasquez (5 G, 5 A) provide great depth of scoring as each has amassed 15 points on the seaosn
The program's all-time assists leader Tara Sobierajski is the catalyst for this offensive attack as she leads the team with eight assists on the season and 23 for her career
The team's primary goalkeeper is Taylor Dorado who comes in with a 8-4-2 record, 0.99 GAA, .767 save percentage and 46 saves in 1272+ minutes of action

CONFERENCE POSTSEASON HISTORY
This season marks just the eighth time in 19 seasons since joining the NCAA Div. I ranks that the Bobcats have advanced to the postseason in a non-automatic qualifying campaign. Quinnipiac owns an all-time mark of 4-6-1 in conference playoff games and own one conference title coming back in 2000 as a member of the Northeast Conference. Prior to Saturday's 3-0 MAAC Quarterfinal win over Canisius, the last time Quinnipiac won a conference postseason game came back in the 2000 NEC Championship game as the Bobcats defeated Monmouth, 4-0, to claim the program's only conference title. Since that win, the Bobcats stood with a mark of 0-4-1 with the one draw ending in a 3-1 shootout loss against St. Francis (PA) in the 2010 NEC Semifinals. Currently in the program's 19^th season as a NCAA Div. I member, Saturday's game marked the first time in program history Quinnipiac hosted a conference postseason game at home.

BACK IN BUSINESS
Head coach Dave Clarke leads the Bobcats into the MAAC Tournament for the first time in a non-automatic qualifying season since joining the league in 2013. This also marks the first time Quinnipiac has advanced into the conference postseason tournament since 2010 when the Bobcats were a member of the Northeast Conference. Saturday's home playoff game marks the program's first-ever postseason match played in Hamden.

ILLUSIVE DOUBLE DIGIT WIN TOTAL
Quinnipiac wrapped up its most successful regular season in 15 years as the Bobcats' 10-6-1 record in regular season play signals the first double digit win total in a single-season since 2001. Armed with the 3-0 postseason win over Canisius, the 11-win season already stands as the fourth-highest win total in a single-season since Quinnipiac joined the NCAA Div. I ranks in 1998.

HOME COOKIN
Quinnipiac heads into the championship weekend having rolled to a 9-0 record in games played at home this season. The Bobcats are the lone team in the MAAC that hasn't lost at home in 2016. With the 9-0 record in Hamden this season, the Bobcats conclude their home slate with an undefeated mark for just the third time in 19 seasons in the program's history as well as the first time in 15 season. The only other seasons wherein Quinnipiac finished undefeated at home came in 2001 (6-0) and 1999 (11-0).

OFFENSIVE JUGERNAUTS
The offensive side of the ball has been the Bobcats' forte all season long as Quinnipiac comes into Friday's contest ranking second in the MAAC in goals (36), goals per game (2.00) and points per game (6.50) as well as first in assists (45) and assists per game (2.50). Nadya Gill (9 G, 3 A) and Jess Fontaine (5 G, 10 A) both rank in the Top 10 in the MAAC in points and points per game while Gill is tied for second in the league with three game-winning goals. At least two Bobcats are ranked in the Top 10 of every major offensive statistical category in the conference.

POINTS ALL AROUND
Continuing on the offensive theme, 15 different Bobcats have registered at least one point this season, a total that easily leads the MAAC. The other conference foes to see as many as 10 players notch at least one point in 2016 stands as follows: Monmouth (14), Siena (13), Marist (13), Canisius (12), Rider (11) Iona (11) and Fairfield (11).

NEWFOUND DEFENSIVE IDENTITY
Quinnipiac hasn't seen their defense perform better all season than in the last nine-game stretch as the Bobcats have allowed just eight goals in the last nine games and posted shutouts in four-of-nine contests. Since making a move to put Jess Gargan at center back and Mackenzie Tibball at left fullback, the Bobcats have played to a record of 7-2 and excelled defensively. Opponents combine for 94 shots (10.4 per game) and 50 on-target (5.6 per game) in that time frame.

FIRST ON THE BOARD
Despite going behind early, the Bobcats scored three unanswered goals against Saint Peter's to do something they haven't done all season. Scoring first has been one of the biggest indicators to the Bobcats' success in 2016 as Quinnipiac has scored the game's first goal in 10 of their 11 wins this season. The 3-1 win over Saint Peter's marked the first time the Bobcats have gone on to win a game in which they allowed the first goal. Overall on the season, Quinnipiac is 10-3 in games in which the Bobcats have scored first while their record stands 1-3-1 in the five games where the opponent opens the scoring.

UTILIZING THE YOUTH
Through 18 games in 2016, 23 of the 36 (63.9 percent) Bobcat goals on the season have been scored by underclassmen. Sophomores Nadya Gill (nine), Al Pelletier (four), Katrina Friedman (two), Madison Borowiec (two) and Jess Gargan (one) combine with redshirt freshman Kylie Lance (one) and freshman Ally Grunstein (four) for 23 of the team's goals this season. The upperclassmen to score in 2016 have been Jess Fontaine (five), Kelly Caruso (four), Sarah Pandolfi (three) and Carly Glaser (one).

FONTAINE OF YOUTH
Jess Fontaine picked up her fifth goal of the season in a 3-1 win over Saint Peter's which marks a new single-season career high. Ranking second on the team with 20 points (five goals, 10 assists) on the season, her team and MAAC-leading 10 assists on the season not only lead both categories but her assist total is tied for seventh in the nation. She is just one of 12 players nationally to put up 10+ assists on the season and just one of six from the mid-major level. Fontaine is also tied for 11^th in the nation in assists per game (0.56). She led all Bobcats in conference scoring as she posted three goals and five assists for 11 points in 10 league games.

SINGLE-SEASON SUCCESS
Dishing out assists has been Jess Fontaine's forte all season long as she comes into Friday's contest with 10 through 18 games. With at least one game remaining in the season, Fontaine's 2016 assist total is currently tied for fourth on the all-time single-season record list at Quinnipiac and is second in the program's Div. I history (since 1998). Kirsten Van de Van's 2004 total of 11 ranks first since Quinnipiac joined the Div. I ranks.

MOVIN ON UP
With her one assist against Canisius, Jess Fontaine continues to move up the Top 10 all-time career record list at Quinnipiac with 21 career assists. She sits in sole possession of fifth place all-time in career assists at Quinnipiac. The four players ahead of Fontaine on the all-time leaderboard all graduated prior to 2001, giving Fontaine the most assists by a single-player in the last 15 years and the most-ever by a four-year Division I Bobcat.

CAPTAIN CLUTCH
Nadya Gill continues to show a flair for the dramatic as her tally in the 53^rd minute at Manhattan served as game-winner in a 1-0 victory for the Bobcats. That game-winning tally stands as her third game-winner of the season. Through 35 games in her career, Gill has accumulated 17 goals and six assists for 40 points (1.14 per game). Incredibly, eight of Gill's 17 career goals (47.1 percent) have gone down as game-winners.

SHOOT TO GILL
Since joining the team as a freshman in 2015, Nadya Gill has racked up 40 career points in 35 games played. Over the last two seasons, Gill ranks second among all MAAC players in points as she only sits behind Monmouth's Alexis McTamney (42 points). Her two-year goal total (17) also sits tied for first among all players in the league as she stands even with Manhattan's Erica Modena (17) in that span.

LITTLE AL DOING BIG THINGS
Sophomore forward Al Pelletier had herself a dominant performance in the Bobcats' 3-0 win over Canisius as she notched one goal to put the Bobcats ahead 2-0 early in the second half. After going for three points in the season-opening 2-1 win over Toledo (8/19), Pelletier had only notched one goal in a span of nine games before her first career multi-assist game came against Marist (10/1). Just one year removed from recording one goal in 10 games played during her rookie season, Pelletier has been incredible in 2016 with 12 points on four goals and four assists.

POWERFUL PLAYMAKER
A sensation in her first season as a Bobcat, freshman Ally Grunstein sits third on the team with 16 points on four goals and eight assists. Dynamic with the ball, Grunstein has done her damage primarily off the bench as she sits tied for 10^th on the team among field players in minutes played (819) and has started only five-of-18 games in 2016.

GRUNSTEIN GRABBING ASSISTS
Ally Grunstein's playmaking skills along the wing have been on full display all season as she sits tied for second in the MAAC with eight assists and assists per game (0.44). Her eight total assists in 2016 put her tied for seventh on the all-time single-season record list at Quinnipiac and tied for third in the program's Div. I era. Grunstein's eight total assists also stands as the second-highest single-season total from a freshman in program history.

GARGANTUAN MOVE
After struggling with injuries throughout non-conference play, 2015 MAAC All-Rookie Team selection Jess Gargan moved to the center back position for the last nine games and has helped turn around the Bobcat defense which has allowed just eight goals in the those nine contests. Gargan has also tallied all four of her points in 2016 (one goal, two assists) from her new defensive positioning.

CAREER YEAR FOR CARUSO
In the midst of a career year in her senior season, Kelly Caruso has amassed a career high 11 points in 2016 on four goals and three assists. Entering her senior year with four career goals, Caruso has doubled her career total this season while adding three assists to give her 11 helpers across her four years. Her game-winning goal in the 3-0 win over Canisius in the MAAC Quarterfinals was just her second career game-winner. She continues to show incredible durability as she has never missed a game in her collegiate career, having played in all 68 possible games in her four seasons.

CARUSO CARRESSING IT IN
Kelly Caruso opened the scoring with a penalty kick tally in the Bobcats' 2-1 win over Fairfield, a goal that stands as the first penalty kick for Quinnipiac on the season. A free kick specialist, Caruso lined up her shot and drove the ball to the lower right corner as she remains a perfect three-for-three on penalty kicks in her four-year career.

KEEPING HER TEAM ALIVE
Freshman keeper Olivia Myszewski has been playing some of the best soccer of her young career over her last four games as she had posted a career high seven saves in three straight games before her three-save and no goals allowed effort while picking up the win in the 3-0 postseason victory over Canisius.

FOR THE FIRST TIME
Primarily a role player throughout her career, Carly Glaser had a shining moment in the Bobcats' 3-0 win over Marist as the junior punched home her first career goal in the 43^rd minute to start the scoring in the team's three-goal victory. Playing in her 29^th career game, Glaser recorded her first career tally which ultimately went down as the game-winning goal on the afternoon. She joins Nadya Gill from last season and Kylie Lance as the first Bobcats since Furtuna Velaj '12 in 2008 to see their first career goal be a game-winner.

IT ALL PANS OUT
A missed 2015 season for Sarah Pandolfi had the Bobcats dealing with the loss of one of the team's main strikers. Two years removed from being just one of two Bobcats to start all 17 games in 2014, Pandolfi blasted home her first goal as a Bobcat in a 3-0 win over UMass Lowell. She followed with a career high five points (two goals, one assist) in a 6-2 win over Delaware State to earn her MAAC Offensive Player of the Week honors. A transfer from UMass, Pandolfi finished her freshman year as a Minutewoman with two goals and two assists before transferring to Quinnipiac prior to the start of 2014. In her 2014 season, Pandolfi led the team with 35 shots while adding two assists in her 17 games.

ASSISTED LIVING
Helping factor into the six-goal explosion against Delaware State was a total of nine assists as a team for the Bobcats which stands as the most accumulated in a single-game in the program's Div. I history. Led by Ally Grunstein's single-game Div. I record three assists, seven players in all racked up at least one helper in the six-goal scoring spree. As a team, the Bobcats have racked up 45 assists through 18 games for a per-game average (2.50) that sits fifth in the nation.

MANAGING MONMOUTH
Despite falling to Monmouth, 2-1, away from home on Oct. 15, the Bobcats played one of their best games of the season as the undefeated MAAC juggernaut saw one of their league games go into overtime for the first time in 2016. The Bobcats also managed to score first in the second half which marked the first time the Hawks had trailed in a conference game all season. Monmouth had also come into that meeting riding a six-game unbeaten streak in which the Hawks had outscored teams 28-2 (+26 in goal differential).

WIN PARADE
Quinnipiac's longest win streak since the 2007 season was snapped at Monmouth on Oct. 15 as the Bobcats' recorded five straight wins. The Bobcats' five-game win streak stands as the longest for Quinnipiac in a single-season since an eight-game unbeaten streak back in the 2007 season.

SHUTOUT STREAK
Quinnipiac saw its shutout streak come to an end in a 3-2 win over Iona on Oct. 12. After allowing a Fairfield goal with 26:47 remaining in the second half, the Bobcats held three straight opponents scoreless until Iona struck in the 71^st minute. The three-game shutout span is tied for the second-longest in program history as the Bobcats last accomplished that feat in the 2012 season. The scoreless streak of 367:15 ranks as the second-longest in program history as the record came back in the 1999 season where the Bobcats held their opposition off the scoresheet for four consecutive games.

CRAZY RESULT
Quinnipiac's 1-0 road win over Manhattan was significant on many levels as the decision marked the first 1-0 league win since the Bobcats defeated Manhattan by the same score at home back on Oct. 23, 2013 (25 games ago). An even more impressive mark is the one-goal win marked the first 1-0 league road victory for the Bobcats since defeating Central Connecticut State as a member of the Northeast Conference, 1-0, back on Oct. 21, 2001 (72 games ago).

UNCOMMON RESULT
Nadya Gill's tally in the 19^th minute, coupled with a stellar defensive showing from the Bobcats' back line, helped lead the way to a 1-0 victory over Bryant (9/6). Quinnipiac's second clean sheet of 2016 (3-0 vs. UMass Lowell – Aug. 23, 2016) stands as the first 1-0 win for the Bobcats since defeating Vermont by the same score at home back on Sept. 13, 2014. The 1-0 result also marked the first time that the Bobcats have won 1-0 on the road since defeating Holy Cross on Sept. 2, 2012.

GOALS GALORE
A six-goal outburst carried Quinnipiac past Delaware State (9/4) in dominating fashion, 6-2. The second-highest scoring team in the MAAC reached six goals in a single-game for the first time since defeating Fairfield Dickinson, 6-0, back on Oct. 31, 2010 – the last time Quinnipiac tallied more than six goals in a single-game came all the way back in 1999 when the Bobcats defeated Iona, 7-0.

OVERCOMING THE ODDS
The Bobcats' 2-2 draw against NJIT not only kept Quinnipiac undefeated but it signaled one of the more significant results in recent memory. Prior to Friday's draw, the last time the Bobcats erased a two-goal deficit to either tie or win a game came all the way back on Oct. 3, 2008 when Quinnipiac defeated Robert Morris, 4-3, in double overtime. The near eight-year run spanned an incredible 119 matches since the Bobcats last accomplished the feat.

MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE
Devan Malcolm earned the starting nod for the Bobcats against UMass Lowell and delivered in what was her first career appearance. The sophomore keeper notched five saves to not only pick up the win but also record a clean sheet in her collegiate debut. She became the first Quinnipiac goalkeeper to post a shutout in their first career appearance since Class of 2016 graduate Natalia Grodzki recorded a two-save shutout in her debut against NJIT back on Sept. 7, 2012.

ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS
After just one appearance, freshman keeper Olivia Myszewski has already made a little history as her seven saves goes down as the most by a Bobcat goalkeeper in their first career appearance in the program's Div. I era (since 1998). Myszewski's seven saves are the most since Elizabeth Cook notched six in her first career appearance. Myszewski also became the first Bobcat keeper to pick up the victory in a victory in their first career start since Cook helped lead Quinnipiac to a double overtime 1-0 victory back on Oct. 4, 2009.