Women's Lacrosse Takes on Niagara in MAAC Quarterfinals

Saturday, May 1

Niagara Falls, NY

1:00 PM

Quinnipiac University

Niagara

Women's Lacrosse Takes on Niagara in MAAC Quarterfinals

4/30/2021 2:34:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Quinnipiac Returns to the Postseason For the First Time Since 2017

By: QU Athletic Communications

#5 QUINNIPIAC BOBCATS (5-6, 5-6 MAAC) vs. #4 Niagara Purple Eagles (7-4, 7-4 MAAC)
Saturday, May 1, 2021 | 1:00 PM | Niagara Field | Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Watch | Live Stats | Twitter - @QU_WLAX

HAMDEN, Conn. – For the second consecutive weekend, the Quinnipiac women's lacrosse team travels to upstate New York to take on the Niagara Purple Eagles, this time in the MAAC Quarterfinals. The postseason matchup is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and can be seen live on ESPN+.

LAST TIME OUT
The Quinnipiac women's lacrosse team dropped its regular season finale on Saturday afternoon, 14-12 to Niagara. The Bobcats finished the regular season with a 5-6 record. The Bobcats were led offensively by graduate student Megan Szawlowski, as she scored four goals and added two assists for six points. Defensively, Quinnipiac was led by sophomore Melissa Murphy. The Roxbury, N.J. native picked up five ground balls and caused a career-high three turnovers. Sophomore goalkeeper Kat Henselder made 11 saves for the Bobcats. Sophomore Emily Feeney recorded a career-high nine draw controls.

SCOUTING NIAGARA
The Purple Eagles finished the 2021 campaign with a 7-4 record. Niagara finished the season with a loss to Manhattan. The Purple Eagles received multiple conference postseason awards as Rachel Crane was named MAAC Rookie of the Year and Michelle Messenger was tabbed the MAAC Goalkeeper of the Year. Messenger was joined on the All-MAAC First Team by Shea Swartwout and Lauren Paul. Crane and TaNia Cunningham was named to the All-MAAC Second Team and Lexi Braniecki and Crane were named to the MAAC All-Rookie Team.

ALL-TIME VS. NIAGARA
The Bobcats are 1-7 all-time against the Purple Eagles after dropping a close contest to Niagara last weekend.

MAAC POSTSEASON HISTORY
This is the second time that the Bobcats are playing in the conference tournament since joining the MAAC. In their first appearance in 2017, the sixth-seeded Bobcats fell to Marist in the opening round of the tournament.

CONFERENCE AWARDS
Five Bobcats received All-MAAC honors, which were announced by the conference office on Thursday, April 29. Sophia Iaccino, Julia Steneck and Megan Szawlowski were all named to the All-MAAC Second Team. Steneck was also named to the All-MAAC Rookie Team alongside Kalie Moore and Maddie Noel.

MAAC ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
The Bobcats placed 20 student-athletes on the MAAC All-Academic Team. To read the release, click HERE.

DEFENDING HOME TURF
For the first time in program history, the Bobcats finished the home portion their of schedule undefeated after Sunday's victory over Manhattan. Quinnipiac is a perfect 5-0 at home in the 2021 campaign.

MAAC WEEKLY AWARDS
Sophomore goalkeeper Kat Henselder and first-year attack Maddie Noel received MAAC Weekly Awards, as announced by the conference office on Wednesday, April 14.

Henselder was named MAAC Defensive Player of the Week. In two wins against Manhattan, the Lindenhurst, N.Y. native made 22 saves and picked up eight ground balls. In Friday's matchup, the sophomore goalkeeper made 12 saves and picked up two ground balls in the win. In Sunday's rematch, Henselder made 10 saves and picked up a career-high six ground balls in the victory.

Noel was named MAAC Rookie of the Week. In the two victories over the Jaspers, the Syracuse, N.Y. native recorded five goals and six points. In Friday's meeting against Manhattan, Noel matched her career high in goals with three and points with four in Quinnipiac's 20-14 victory. In the rematch on Sunday, the first year found the back of the net twice in the Bobcats' 15-11 win.

DISHING OUT THE ASSISTS
Two Bobcats are in the top-10 in assists per game in the MAAC. Gabby Beckett is second with 1.64 and Megan Szawlowski is sixth with 1.27.

MEGAN'S MILESTONE
Megan Szawlowski eclipsed the 100 point mark in her Quinnipiac career on April 2 against Siena as she recorded a career-high seven points in the game. In her two-plus years in Hamden, she has scored 83 goals and added 35 assists for 118 career points.

'SPECIAL' TEAMS
In penalty situations, Quinnipiac is one of the best teams in the MAAC in dealing with them. The Bobcats are tied for first with three player-down goals this season. They are third in the conference in player-up goals per game, and have scored the second-most overall.

KAT HAS YOUR BACK
Goalkeeper Kat Henselder currently sits at fifth in the country in saves per game with 11.64. She has made the most saves of anyone in the MAAC this season.

#SCTOP10
Sophomore goalkeeper Kat Henselder's outstanding save against Canisius was featured as the No. 10 play on Sportscenter's Top 10 plays on Saturday, March 13. Henselder's spot on Sportscenter can be seen HERE.

INCREDIBLE IACCINO
Sophomore midfielder Sophia Iaccino is near the top of the MAAC in multiple stat categories. The Farmingdale, N.Y. native is sixth with 2.64 ground balls per game, fourth with 1.45 caused turnovers per game and third with 5.0 draw controls per game.

THE BOBCATS IN 2020
In a pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Quinnipiac posted a record of 3-4. The Bobcats tallied wins against LIU, Bryant and Old Dominion. The win against ODU was the program's first win against a BIG EAST foe.

2021 SEASON FORMAT
The Bobcats are playing an all-MAAC schedule in 2021. Quinnipiac will take the field 12 times in 2021, playing six games both home and away. To see the Bobcats' 2021 schedule, click HERE.

SEASON PREVIEW
Quinnipiac head coach Tanya Kotowicz previewed the season and that piece can be read HERE.

FIFTH YEAR UNDER KOTOWICZ
Head Coach Tanya Kotowicz enters her fifth season at the helm of the Bobcats. Under Kotowicz, the Bobcats have brought in two straight first year classes that have made an immediate impact. In 2020, midfielders Desiree Kleberg and Sophia Iaccino both earned MAAC Rookie of the Week honors. Kleberg earned the award twice while Iaccino earned the award once. In 2019, the Bobcats had two MAAC All-Rookie Team selections as midfielders Gabby Beckett and Maddie Deegan were given the honor. Since Kotowicz's first season in 2017, the Bobcats have improved every season in total and conference wins, including one birth in the MAAC tournament.

THE RETURN OF SWAZ
Graduate attack Megan Szawlowski returns in 2021 for the Bobcats. She was Quinnipiac's leading scorer from a season ago, recording 21 points from 17 goals and four assists. In her two-plus seasons with the Bobcats, the Holyoke, Mass. native has 60 goals and 21 assists.

MIDFIELD MASTERCLASS
Nine of the 10 returning top scorers for the Bobcats all come from the midfield position. Juniors Gabby Beckett and Maddie Deegan were named to the 2019 MAAC All-Rookie Team. The pair of them recorded 25 combined points one season ago. Sophomores Desiree Kleberg and Sophia Iaccino both earned MAAC Rookie of the Week honors a season ago. Kleberg and Iaccino combined for 23 points in 2019.

NEWCOMERS, WELCOME TO HAMDEN
The Bobcats welcome seven new faces to the squad for the 2021 season. Transfer Annie Morrison and first years Julia Steneck, Chelsea Akins, Kelly Bergersen, Maddie Noel, Kalie Moore and Hadley Bosworth are all entering their first season's as Bobcats.

To stay up to date with everything Quinnipiac women's lacrosse, follow the program on social media @QU_WLAX and at gobobcats.com.