Saturday, April 2
Hamden, CT
1:00 PM
Quinnipiac University
vs
Canisius
QU Women's Lacrosse Resumes MAAC Play on Saturday at Home Against Canisius
3/31/2016 1:34:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
Bobcats Host Consistent MAAC Power in the Golden Griffins Who Won Four Straight Conference Titles (2011-14)
Quinnipiac Bobcats (2-7, 0-1 MAAC) vs.
Canisius Golden Griffins (4-5, 1-0 MAAC)
Saturday, April 2, 2016 – 1:00 PM
QU Lacrosse Turf Field – Hamden, CT
All-Time Series vs. Canisius: QU 3-2
Follow the Game
Live Stats: QuinnipiacBobcats.com
Free Live Video: Quinnipiac All-Access
Twitter: @QU_WLAX
The heart of the 2016 season schedule is now upon the Quinnipiac women's lacrosse team as the Bobcats resume MAAC play full-time with a home game against Canisius on Saturday, April 2. Play is set to begin at the QU Lacrosse Turf Complex at 1 PM as the Bobcats challenge a perennial MAAC power in the Golden Griffins who won four straight conference titles from 2011-14 before Fairfield knocked Canisius off in the 2015 title game.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN GRIFFINS
Canisius (4-5) had to battle against one of the most demanding non-conference schedules in the country at this point in the season as the Golden Griffins have played four national powers in Michigan, Delaware, Louisville and Ohio State. Canisius comes in with an overall record of 4-5 but they played tough against their highly-regarded foes as the Golden Griffins fell to Michigan, 13-11, and held Ohio State to 10 goals in a 10-4 loss back on March 19. After slugging through a challenging non-conference slate, Canisius an unprecedented upcoming schedule as the Golden Griffins will face the Bobcats at 1 PM on Saturday and will bus seven hours back to Buffalo before taking on national power Syracuse for the first time at home on Sunday at 7 PM. Make no mistake, Canisius has long been an offensive juggernaut and this season is no different. Averaging a tick over 10 goals per game through nine games in 2016, Quinnipiac hasn't seen a team with this offensive firepower since the season opener against UConn. Canisius had five players named to the Preseason All-MAAC Team led by Preseason Player of the Year Erica Evans. Evans comes in with 26 points (21 goals, five assists) in nine games while she ranks second in the MAAC in draw controls (39) while leading the team in caused turnovers (11) and second in ground balls (17). Taylor Giglio, another Preseason All-MAAC selection, leads the Golden Griffins with 31 points (21 goals, 10 assists) while Tessa Chad comes in with an impressive 16 goals. Megan Maloney has great all-around numbers with 25 draw controls, 11 ground balls and seven caused turnovers in 2016. Depth of scoring isn't one of Canisius' strengths as after the top five goal scorers, the next-closest scorer has accumulated three on the season. In net, Rebecca VanLaeken comes in having played and started eight games while racking up a 10.19 goals-against average to go along with a .390 save percentage and 4-4 record.
SERIES HISTORY
Before first meeting as MAAC opponents in 2014, it had been 12 years since the Bobcats last played the Golden Griffins. Quinnipiac won the first three meetings, including their first two home games coming in 1999 (W, 19-6) and 2001 (W, 12-6). After 12 years without playing one another, Canisius dominated the last contest played in Hamden as the Golden Griffins won 23-15 on April 6, 2014. Last year's contest ended in a 17-7 victory for the Golden Griffins in Buffalo.
SPEEDY STREAK
Quinnipiac mounted a furious second half comeback against CCSU (3/30) as the Bobcats put together a 6-0 run over a matter of 8:35. The six straight goals in that time span marks the fastest six-goal run for the Bobcats since April 9, 2014 when Quinnipiac tallied a 6-0 run over a span of 4:42 at Iona (28 games ago).
ALEX IS EVERYWHERE
Alex Hlesciak put together the best game of her three-year career against CCSU (3/30) as she tallied a career-high three points (two goals, one assist) while she also notched her fourth career multi-goal game. Hlesciak wasn't done on the offensive end as she also chipped in a career-high four ground balls to go along with five draw controls (one off career-high). Ever since moving into the starting lineup two games ago, Hlesciak has tallied four points (three goals, one assist) with nine draw controls.
CAREY-ING THE OFFENSE
Aileen Carey's career-high five-game goal scoring streak was snapped in the Bobcats' last game at Niagara (3/26). The senior midfielder was also riding a four-game multi-goal scoring streak. She still managed to restart her scoring touch against CCSU (3/30) as she picked up two goals while adding four ground balls (tied career-high) and four draw controls and four caused turnovers (career-high). She leads the team with 14 goals in 2016 and is just three goals shy of setting a new single-season career record with seven games still remaining in the regular season. Coming into her senior season with just three career hat tricks, Carey has already posted three hat tricks in nine games this season.
GOING BACK-TO-BACK
After not seeing a Bobcat win an individual MAAC weekly award in the first two full seasons since joining the conference in 2014, Quinnipiac's sophomore goalkeeper Kyle Larkin has picked up back-to-back MAAC Defensive Player of the Week awards. Over those two weeks, no goalkeeper in the MAAC was hotter as Larkin as she allowed nine goals (4.50 GAA) and posted 19 saves (.679 save percentage) in picking up two straight wins for the Bobcats. In a meeting against UMass Lowell, Larkin allowed a career-low four goals in a 7-4 win while tallying eight saves on 12 shots (.667 save percentage).
SHUTOUT STREAK
The first goal for UMass Lowell (3/12) which came with 27:32 remaining in the second half broke up the Bobcats' scoreless streak which spanned the course of the two games. Quinnipiac held Army West Point (3/5) scoreless for the final 17:56 of play in a 6-5 win and held UMass Lowell without a goal for 32:28 of play in a 7-4 win. Quinnipiac's scoreless streak lasted a total of 50:24 as Larkin made 10 straight saves in that time frame.
DEFENSIVE DYNAMOS
Heading up a lockdown defensive effort against UMass Lowell (3/12) was the tandem of Leah Walter and Kiera Kelly. The two leading shutdown defenders for the Bobcats contributed in big ways as Walter tied her career-high in ground balls (five) and caused turnovers (three) while Kelly snagged four ground balls and tied her career-high with four caused turnovers. The pairing combined to hold the top three River Hawk scorers entering the game to no points throughout 60 minutes of action. This was one game following a total shutdown of Army West Point's leading scorer Amy Johnston, holding her without any points in the one-goal win.
DEFENSE FIRST
Quinnipiac has predicated themselves on the defensive end all season and their stellar efforts protecting their cage has played a large role during the two-game winning streak. The hot streak started in a 6-5 win over Army West Point (3/5) as the 11 combined goals represents the lowest combined score total in a Quinnipiac victory since the Bobcats defeated Robert Morris by the identical score on the road back on April 7, 2012. Most recently, Quinnipiac's 7-4 win over UMass Lowell (3/12) saw Quinnipiac allow their fewest goals to an opponent in a single game since an 8-4 win over Monmouth back on April 23, 2010 (86 games ago).
FORTUNATO'S FIRST WIN
A defensive-minded midfielder in her four years as a player for Quinnipiac (2004-08), first-year head coach Brittany Fortunato's first career victory was very reminiscent of her playing style. The 11 combined goals in the 6-5 victory over Army West Point (3/5) represents the lowest combined score total in a Quinnipiac victory since the Bobcats defeated Robert Morris on the road by the identical score back on April 7, 2012.
LARKIN LEADING THE WAY
The vastly improved play of Kyle Larkin in the cage has played a big role in the Bobcats' turnaround after a disappointing loss in the season opener to UConn. In the past eight games alone, Larkin has matched her career-high with 11 saves in two of the eight contests and posted double digit save totals in four-of-eight in the stretch. Larkin's cumulative totals of 74 saves (9.3 per game), .484 save percentage and 9.74 GAA in the last eight games (486:48 minutes played) has helped lead the way in a turnaround inspired on the defensive end.
KEEP TRYING TO GET ONE PAST KYLE
The recent eight-game turnaround has seen Kyle Larkin rise up the national rankings as she now sits 13th in the nation in saves per game (9.22) and tied for 20th in ground balls per game (3.13). If you subtract the 21-0 loss to UConn (2/17), Larkin would sit tied for 25th nationally in save percentage (.484).
ASSISTED LIVING
Kathleen DeVito acted as the Bobcats' main distributor throughout the 6-5 win over Army West Point (3/5) as she matched her career-high with three assists while adding one goal for a season-high four-point night. Devito has since added nine assists over the last six games to place her atop the team leaderboard in assists (nine) as well as the team-lead in points (14) on the season.
SENIOR CENTER
After notching just three combined goals in the first three games of 2016, the Bobcats' senior tandem of Aileen Carey (12-0-12) and Kathleen DeVito (3-9-12) have combined for 25 points in the last six games as the two have combined to either score or assist on 18 of the 35 total goals scored (51.4 percent) for the Bobcats.
FRESH FACE
Among the many freshmen to shine on the day against Binghamton (2/27) included Allison Kuhn who posted a team-leading four-point day (three goals, one assist) as she either scored or assisted on more than half of the goals scored for Quinnipiac on the day. She also becomes the first Quinnipiac freshman to tally at least four points in a game since Maria Blois tallied four points (one goal, three assists) back on April 19, 2013. Kuhn also added a game and personal-high four draw controls.
FRESH FACES
Quinnipiac's freshmen class has factored heavily in the Bobcats' scoring throughout the season as Allison Kuhn (10-3-13), Cara O'Meally (4-0-4), Ellie Swenson (2-2-4), Aubrey Conti (1-1-2), and Alexa Paul (1-0-1) have accounted for 24 of the Bobcats' 69 total points (34.8 percent) so far through nine games in 2016. In terms of just goal scoring, 18 of the Bobcats' 46 goals (39.1 percent) have been scored by Quinnipiac freshmen this season.
FINDING THEIR IDENTITY
Coming off a disappointing 21-0 loss in the 2016 season opener, Quinnipiac certainly found their defensive identity in the second half at Yale (2/24) as the Bulldogs scored just three of their 11 goals in the final 30 minutes of play. The 11-goal total for the Bulldogs also easily stands as the fewest allowed by Quinnipiac in the series history as the previous fewest came in 2014 when Yale defeated the Bobcats, 15-8.
THAT'S MINE!
Sophomore Kiera Kelly filled the stat sheet with career highs in ground balls (eight) and caused turnovers (four) at Yale (2/24). After becoming the first freshman in program history to lead Quinnipiac in ground balls and caused turnovers last season, Kelly came one ground ball shy of matching the single-game program record (nine) which was compiled by Christy Smallman against Vermont on March 4, 2005.
AT THE TOP OF HER CRAFT
Kiera Kelly has seen an immediate rise in her production through nine games in 2016. Having compiled 31 ground balls and 21 caused turnovers, Kelly currently leads the MAAC in both ground balls and caused turnovers per game. Kelly also stands 10th in the nation in ground balls per game (3.44) and 11th in caused turnover per game (2.33).
Canisius Golden Griffins (4-5, 1-0 MAAC)
Saturday, April 2, 2016 – 1:00 PM
QU Lacrosse Turf Field – Hamden, CT
All-Time Series vs. Canisius: QU 3-2
Follow the Game
Live Stats: QuinnipiacBobcats.com
Free Live Video: Quinnipiac All-Access
Twitter: @QU_WLAX
The heart of the 2016 season schedule is now upon the Quinnipiac women's lacrosse team as the Bobcats resume MAAC play full-time with a home game against Canisius on Saturday, April 2. Play is set to begin at the QU Lacrosse Turf Complex at 1 PM as the Bobcats challenge a perennial MAAC power in the Golden Griffins who won four straight conference titles from 2011-14 before Fairfield knocked Canisius off in the 2015 title game.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN GRIFFINS
Canisius (4-5) had to battle against one of the most demanding non-conference schedules in the country at this point in the season as the Golden Griffins have played four national powers in Michigan, Delaware, Louisville and Ohio State. Canisius comes in with an overall record of 4-5 but they played tough against their highly-regarded foes as the Golden Griffins fell to Michigan, 13-11, and held Ohio State to 10 goals in a 10-4 loss back on March 19. After slugging through a challenging non-conference slate, Canisius an unprecedented upcoming schedule as the Golden Griffins will face the Bobcats at 1 PM on Saturday and will bus seven hours back to Buffalo before taking on national power Syracuse for the first time at home on Sunday at 7 PM. Make no mistake, Canisius has long been an offensive juggernaut and this season is no different. Averaging a tick over 10 goals per game through nine games in 2016, Quinnipiac hasn't seen a team with this offensive firepower since the season opener against UConn. Canisius had five players named to the Preseason All-MAAC Team led by Preseason Player of the Year Erica Evans. Evans comes in with 26 points (21 goals, five assists) in nine games while she ranks second in the MAAC in draw controls (39) while leading the team in caused turnovers (11) and second in ground balls (17). Taylor Giglio, another Preseason All-MAAC selection, leads the Golden Griffins with 31 points (21 goals, 10 assists) while Tessa Chad comes in with an impressive 16 goals. Megan Maloney has great all-around numbers with 25 draw controls, 11 ground balls and seven caused turnovers in 2016. Depth of scoring isn't one of Canisius' strengths as after the top five goal scorers, the next-closest scorer has accumulated three on the season. In net, Rebecca VanLaeken comes in having played and started eight games while racking up a 10.19 goals-against average to go along with a .390 save percentage and 4-4 record.
SERIES HISTORY
Before first meeting as MAAC opponents in 2014, it had been 12 years since the Bobcats last played the Golden Griffins. Quinnipiac won the first three meetings, including their first two home games coming in 1999 (W, 19-6) and 2001 (W, 12-6). After 12 years without playing one another, Canisius dominated the last contest played in Hamden as the Golden Griffins won 23-15 on April 6, 2014. Last year's contest ended in a 17-7 victory for the Golden Griffins in Buffalo.
SPEEDY STREAK
Quinnipiac mounted a furious second half comeback against CCSU (3/30) as the Bobcats put together a 6-0 run over a matter of 8:35. The six straight goals in that time span marks the fastest six-goal run for the Bobcats since April 9, 2014 when Quinnipiac tallied a 6-0 run over a span of 4:42 at Iona (28 games ago).
ALEX IS EVERYWHERE
Alex Hlesciak put together the best game of her three-year career against CCSU (3/30) as she tallied a career-high three points (two goals, one assist) while she also notched her fourth career multi-goal game. Hlesciak wasn't done on the offensive end as she also chipped in a career-high four ground balls to go along with five draw controls (one off career-high). Ever since moving into the starting lineup two games ago, Hlesciak has tallied four points (three goals, one assist) with nine draw controls.
CAREY-ING THE OFFENSE
Aileen Carey's career-high five-game goal scoring streak was snapped in the Bobcats' last game at Niagara (3/26). The senior midfielder was also riding a four-game multi-goal scoring streak. She still managed to restart her scoring touch against CCSU (3/30) as she picked up two goals while adding four ground balls (tied career-high) and four draw controls and four caused turnovers (career-high). She leads the team with 14 goals in 2016 and is just three goals shy of setting a new single-season career record with seven games still remaining in the regular season. Coming into her senior season with just three career hat tricks, Carey has already posted three hat tricks in nine games this season.
GOING BACK-TO-BACK
After not seeing a Bobcat win an individual MAAC weekly award in the first two full seasons since joining the conference in 2014, Quinnipiac's sophomore goalkeeper Kyle Larkin has picked up back-to-back MAAC Defensive Player of the Week awards. Over those two weeks, no goalkeeper in the MAAC was hotter as Larkin as she allowed nine goals (4.50 GAA) and posted 19 saves (.679 save percentage) in picking up two straight wins for the Bobcats. In a meeting against UMass Lowell, Larkin allowed a career-low four goals in a 7-4 win while tallying eight saves on 12 shots (.667 save percentage).
SHUTOUT STREAK
The first goal for UMass Lowell (3/12) which came with 27:32 remaining in the second half broke up the Bobcats' scoreless streak which spanned the course of the two games. Quinnipiac held Army West Point (3/5) scoreless for the final 17:56 of play in a 6-5 win and held UMass Lowell without a goal for 32:28 of play in a 7-4 win. Quinnipiac's scoreless streak lasted a total of 50:24 as Larkin made 10 straight saves in that time frame.
DEFENSIVE DYNAMOS
Heading up a lockdown defensive effort against UMass Lowell (3/12) was the tandem of Leah Walter and Kiera Kelly. The two leading shutdown defenders for the Bobcats contributed in big ways as Walter tied her career-high in ground balls (five) and caused turnovers (three) while Kelly snagged four ground balls and tied her career-high with four caused turnovers. The pairing combined to hold the top three River Hawk scorers entering the game to no points throughout 60 minutes of action. This was one game following a total shutdown of Army West Point's leading scorer Amy Johnston, holding her without any points in the one-goal win.
DEFENSE FIRST
Quinnipiac has predicated themselves on the defensive end all season and their stellar efforts protecting their cage has played a large role during the two-game winning streak. The hot streak started in a 6-5 win over Army West Point (3/5) as the 11 combined goals represents the lowest combined score total in a Quinnipiac victory since the Bobcats defeated Robert Morris by the identical score on the road back on April 7, 2012. Most recently, Quinnipiac's 7-4 win over UMass Lowell (3/12) saw Quinnipiac allow their fewest goals to an opponent in a single game since an 8-4 win over Monmouth back on April 23, 2010 (86 games ago).
FORTUNATO'S FIRST WIN
A defensive-minded midfielder in her four years as a player for Quinnipiac (2004-08), first-year head coach Brittany Fortunato's first career victory was very reminiscent of her playing style. The 11 combined goals in the 6-5 victory over Army West Point (3/5) represents the lowest combined score total in a Quinnipiac victory since the Bobcats defeated Robert Morris on the road by the identical score back on April 7, 2012.
LARKIN LEADING THE WAY
The vastly improved play of Kyle Larkin in the cage has played a big role in the Bobcats' turnaround after a disappointing loss in the season opener to UConn. In the past eight games alone, Larkin has matched her career-high with 11 saves in two of the eight contests and posted double digit save totals in four-of-eight in the stretch. Larkin's cumulative totals of 74 saves (9.3 per game), .484 save percentage and 9.74 GAA in the last eight games (486:48 minutes played) has helped lead the way in a turnaround inspired on the defensive end.
KEEP TRYING TO GET ONE PAST KYLE
The recent eight-game turnaround has seen Kyle Larkin rise up the national rankings as she now sits 13th in the nation in saves per game (9.22) and tied for 20th in ground balls per game (3.13). If you subtract the 21-0 loss to UConn (2/17), Larkin would sit tied for 25th nationally in save percentage (.484).
ASSISTED LIVING
Kathleen DeVito acted as the Bobcats' main distributor throughout the 6-5 win over Army West Point (3/5) as she matched her career-high with three assists while adding one goal for a season-high four-point night. Devito has since added nine assists over the last six games to place her atop the team leaderboard in assists (nine) as well as the team-lead in points (14) on the season.
SENIOR CENTER
After notching just three combined goals in the first three games of 2016, the Bobcats' senior tandem of Aileen Carey (12-0-12) and Kathleen DeVito (3-9-12) have combined for 25 points in the last six games as the two have combined to either score or assist on 18 of the 35 total goals scored (51.4 percent) for the Bobcats.
FRESH FACE
Among the many freshmen to shine on the day against Binghamton (2/27) included Allison Kuhn who posted a team-leading four-point day (three goals, one assist) as she either scored or assisted on more than half of the goals scored for Quinnipiac on the day. She also becomes the first Quinnipiac freshman to tally at least four points in a game since Maria Blois tallied four points (one goal, three assists) back on April 19, 2013. Kuhn also added a game and personal-high four draw controls.
FRESH FACES
Quinnipiac's freshmen class has factored heavily in the Bobcats' scoring throughout the season as Allison Kuhn (10-3-13), Cara O'Meally (4-0-4), Ellie Swenson (2-2-4), Aubrey Conti (1-1-2), and Alexa Paul (1-0-1) have accounted for 24 of the Bobcats' 69 total points (34.8 percent) so far through nine games in 2016. In terms of just goal scoring, 18 of the Bobcats' 46 goals (39.1 percent) have been scored by Quinnipiac freshmen this season.
FINDING THEIR IDENTITY
Coming off a disappointing 21-0 loss in the 2016 season opener, Quinnipiac certainly found their defensive identity in the second half at Yale (2/24) as the Bulldogs scored just three of their 11 goals in the final 30 minutes of play. The 11-goal total for the Bulldogs also easily stands as the fewest allowed by Quinnipiac in the series history as the previous fewest came in 2014 when Yale defeated the Bobcats, 15-8.
THAT'S MINE!
Sophomore Kiera Kelly filled the stat sheet with career highs in ground balls (eight) and caused turnovers (four) at Yale (2/24). After becoming the first freshman in program history to lead Quinnipiac in ground balls and caused turnovers last season, Kelly came one ground ball shy of matching the single-game program record (nine) which was compiled by Christy Smallman against Vermont on March 4, 2005.
AT THE TOP OF HER CRAFT
Kiera Kelly has seen an immediate rise in her production through nine games in 2016. Having compiled 31 ground balls and 21 caused turnovers, Kelly currently leads the MAAC in both ground balls and caused turnovers per game. Kelly also stands 10th in the nation in ground balls per game (3.44) and 11th in caused turnover per game (2.33).
Players Mentioned
MIDFIELD
/ Women's Lacrosse
MIDFIELD
/ Women's Lacrosse
ATTACK
/ Women's Lacrosse
MIDFIELD
/ Women's Lacrosse
DEFENSE
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ATTACK
/ Women's Lacrosse
GOALKEEPER
/ Women's Lacrosse
MIDFIELD
/ Women's Lacrosse
ATTACK
/ Women's Lacrosse
MIDFIELD
/ Women's Lacrosse
DEFENSE/MIDFIELD
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