
Photo by: Izzy DiBari
QU Set for Battle With Fairfield for MAAC Regular Season Title
10/29/2024 1:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Game #17: Quinnipiac (12-3-1, 10-1 MAAC) at Fairfield Stags (14-2-1, 9-1-1 MAAC)
Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024 | 4:00 PM
Fairfield, Conn. | Lessing Field
Watch: ESPN+ | Live Stats: Click Here | Tickets: Click Here
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Quinnipiac women's soccer program will battle the Fairfield Stags in the regular season finale with the MAAC Regular Season Title on the line. Kickoff from Lessing Field is set for 4 PM and can be seen on ESPN+.
SCOUTING THE STAGS
STRONG RETURNING GROUP
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Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024 | 4:00 PM
Fairfield, Conn. | Lessing Field
Watch: ESPN+ | Live Stats: Click Here | Tickets: Click Here
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Quinnipiac women's soccer program will battle the Fairfield Stags in the regular season finale with the MAAC Regular Season Title on the line. Kickoff from Lessing Field is set for 4 PM and can be seen on ESPN+.
SCOUTING THE STAGS
- The Fairfield Stags enter the regular season finale with a 14-2-1 overall record and a 9-1-1 mark in conference play. The Stags sit in second place and two points behind the Bobcats with one game left in the season.
- The Fairfield Stags enter Wednesday's matchup with a perfect 9-0 record at home this season, outscoring opponents 31-8 on their home turf.
- Fairfield has won nine conference games, while tying Siena, 1-1, on Sep. 28th and losing to Sacred Heart by a final score of 2-1 on October 16th.
- The Stags are coming off a 3-2 victory over the Canisius Golden Griffins on October 26th in Fairfield. Maddy Theriault netted two goals for Fairfield in the win.
- Maddy Theriault leads the Stags in goals (11) and points (25). Theriault also has 3 assists this season. Katie Wright has started 15 games in goal for Fairfield and has made 34 saves on 47 shots on goal.
- This will mark the 15th meeting between the two teams. Quinnipiac holds a 10-2-2 overall record against the Stags since Oct. 2, 2013. The Bobcats are 3-1-2 against Fairfield on the road and have won six straight contests against the Stags.
- The Bobcats clinched a berth in the 2024 MAAC Championships, their ninth straight appearance in the conference tournament.
- Quinnipiac has clinched home-field advantage for at least the MAAC Quarterfinals which will be held on Sunday, November 3rd at 12 PM with the opponent TBD.
- The Bobcats honored their seniors in a big way as they defeated the Iona Gaels by a final score of 2-1 on Saturday, October 26th.
- After conceding the game's first goal, the Bobcats got the game-tying goal late in the first half as Victoria Foster found the back of the net.
- Klara Bengtsson recorded her third game-winning goal of her career with her strike in the second half.
- With the win, the Bobcats improved to 12-3-1 overall and 10-1 in conference play.
- The Bobcats went 13-4-1 (9-0-1 MAAC) last season, capturing their second-straight MAAC title in Hamden on Nov. 5.
- QU defeated No. 6 Rider, 1-0, in the MAAC Semifinals, then bested No. 2 Fairfield, 1-0, in the championship round to punch their second straight ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
- Quinnipiac women's soccer has been selected as the preseason MAAC favorite, as announced by the league office on Wednesday, August 7.
- The Bobcats earned the No. 1 spot in the 2024 Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll, receiving ten of 13 first-place votes and 166 total points.
- Quinnipiac saw three student-athletes named to the preseason All-MAAC team. Midfielder Ella Gagno, Defender Madison Mandleur, and the 2023 MAAC Golden Boot Award winner Courtney Chochol received those honors.
- Head Coach Dave Clarke enters his 26th season with the Bobcats in 2024. Clarke is 231-198-46 over his career as a collegiate head coach (2 seasons at New Haven before QU).
- Clarke has firmly cemented himself as one of the premier college coaches in the NCAA's highest division. He effectively etched his signature on Quinnipiac soccer by becoming not only the winningest coach in its history but also leading his team to an NCAA Tournament berth in 2000 and a regular season championship in 2001.
- The Bobcats then won their second straight MAAC Championship in 2024, which is their second MAAC Title in program history.
- Just a season ago, Courtney Chochol was named the 2023 MAAC Golden Boot Award winner as she wrapped up the regular season with 23 points (7 goals and 9 assists).
- Sofia Lospinoso earned the MAAC Golden Glove for the conference's top goalkeeper. Lospinoso was tied for second in the MAAC with six shutouts and had a goals-against average of 1.05.
STRONG RETURNING GROUP
- The Bobcats return 7 of their top 10 scorers from a season ago – led by Courtney Chochol (eight goals and nine assists in 2023).
- QU returns three All-MAAC First Team honorees from a season ago: Courtney Chochol (Forward), Sofia Lospinoso (Goalkeeper), and Madison Mandleur (Defender).
- Victoria Foster (Defender) and Ella Gagno (Midfielder) were named to the All-MAAC Second Team and will return to Hamden for the 2024 season.
- Quinnipiac posted a 7-2 record at home last season but went a perfect 5-0 at home during MAAC regular season play.
- The Bobcats outscored opponents 30-8 on their home turf in the 2023 season.
- The defending MAAC champions will play 17 regular season games in total – hosting nine contests at the QU Soccer Stadium in Hamden. The Bobcats will also host an exhibition contest vs. the University of New Hampshire before the start of the 2024 campaign.
- Quinnipiac will open the regular season on Thursday, Aug. 25, as they welcome the Hofstra Pride to Hamden. The Bobcats continue the non-league slate with two straight road contests, at Georgetown (Aug. 22) and at Stonehill (Aug. 29) before wrapping up non-conference play vs. Albany (Sep. 1) and vs LIU (Sep. 11).
- MAAC play begins on Saturday, Sept. 7, as the Bobcats will welcome MAAC newcomer, Sacred Heart to the QU Soccer Stadium. After a non-conference matchup vs LIU, the Bobcats will host the Siena Saints on Sep. 21. QU will hit the road for the first time in MAAC Play as they travel to take on Saint Peter's (Sep. 28).
- The month of October begins with a road contest at Rider (Oct. 2) before heading home for two straight games, vs. Niagara (Oct. 5) and vs. Marist (Oct. 9). After traveling to Buffalo, NY to battle Canisius (Oct. 12), QU will return home to welcome Merrimack on Oct. 16.
- After a two-game road trip, at Mount St. Mary's (Oct. 19) and at Manhattan (Oct. 23), the Bobcats will play their final home game of the regular season vs. Iona (Oct. 26).
- QU wraps up their regular season slate as they travel to in-state rival Fairfield for a rematch of the 2023 MAAC Championship (Oct. 30).
Players Mentioned
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Tuesday, May 20
WSOC vs Canisius (MAAC Semifinals)
Thursday, November 07
WSOC vs Iona (MAAC Quarterfinals)
Sunday, November 03