Quinnipiac University
#1 Fairfield
In-State Rivalry Highlights MAAC Semifinals at Fairfield
4/30/2026 9:44:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
HAMDEN, Conn. — After pulling off its second upset in as many seasons in the MAAC postseason, the sixth-seeded Quinnipiac women's lacrosse program is riding high into Championship Weekend of the 2026 MAAC Women's Lacrosse playoffs and the top-seeded Fairfield Stags await on Friday afternoon.
Quinnipiac flew out to an 11-6 lead with 9:26 to go in the third of Sunday's quarterfinal matchup against Canisius and held on, as the Golden Griffins cut the deficit to one but could never pull even as a pair of insurance goals from Anna Givens and Mia Delmond gave the road Bobcats the cushion they would need to close out the win.
FRIDAY'S MATCHUP
Teams: Quinnipiac (10-7, 4-4 MAAC) at Fairfield (13-3, 8-0 MAAC)
Watch Live: ESPN+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
THE MATCHUP VS. FAIRFIELD
Fairfield has won all 18 matchups in the series history that dates back to 2010 but if recent history suggests anything, it's going to be a close one on Friday. The last two matchups have been decided by a combined five goals, including a 17-13 win for the Stags in Hamden back on April 11. A five-goal stretch in the second proved to be the difference, as the Stags grew a 7-6 advantage to 12-6 and were able to keep their distance the rest of the way. Kyleigh Tufano scored three of her four during that run.
The Bobcats were able to pull off a 5-1 run in the third, closing the gap to 14-12 with 2:41 to play but would not get any closer. Anna Givens and Cate Bendowski both recorded four-point days, with Givens putting four balls in the back of the net while Bendowski added a goal and three assists.
WITH A WIN...
The winner of Friday's game will advance to the 2026 MAAC Championship game to be held at Fairfield on Sunday at 11 a.m., and televised nationally on ESPNU. The Bobcats are looking for their first-ever berth in the MAAC Championship.
MAKING IT COUNT
The Bobcats have two of the top four players in the country and the top two in the MAAC in shot percentage heading into the semifinal matchup, with Emma Miller-Ayala and Julia Givens making the most of their opportunities in front of the cage. Miller-Ayala is converting on 63.2 percent of her shots, good for second in the nation and first in the conference. Givens is two spots back, sitting fourth in the country and second in the MAAC by hitting on 60.9 percent of her shots.
BALANCING ACT
Quinnipiac's balanced attack has been a strong suit this season, with five different goalscorers totaling 25 or more and nine in double figures, led by Mia Delmond with 42 on the year. Four players have reached the 30 mark, with Julia Givens (39), Emma Miller-Ayala (36) and Cate Bendowski (30) joining Delmond. The Bobcats had eight different players find the net in Sunday's win over Canisius, with five players recording multi-goal outings.
BENDO BREAKS THE RECORD
A 15-year record fell by the wayside on Saturday at Sacred Heart, as Cate Bendowski became the program's single-season point queen, currently standing with 77 on the season. She broke Katie Latonick's record from 2011 of 70 points and also earned MAAC First Team All-Conference accolades as well.
MAAC MENTIONS
Five Bobcats earned All-MAAC accolades, the league announced on Friday morning, led by Cate Bendowski and Emma Miller-Ayala earning First Team All-Conference honors. Miller-Ayala earned her second consecutive all-conference nod after an All-Rookie selection a season ago. Julia Givens and Mia Delmond were selected Second Team All-Conference, while first-year Brie Provenzano earned an All-Rookie honor. It is the first time in program history that the Bobcats had multiple selections to the All-Conference First Team, and their four All-Conference Selections combined amongst the two teams are also tied for the most since the program moved to the MAAC.
GOING BACK TO BACK
With a win at Sacred Heart on Saturday and Fairfield's defeat of Marist, Quinnipiac locked up its second consecutive berth in the MAAC postseason. Since joining the league in 2013-14, the Bobcats had never made consecutive MAAC postseasons but they have now made four of the last six conference tournaments. They also clinched back to back winning seasons, a feat that hasn't happened since the team went 13-5 in both the 2010 and 2011 campaigns.
SENT OFF THE SENIORS RIGHT
Quinnipiac defeated Manhattan on Senior Saturday, knocking off the Manhattan Jaspers by a 17-9 final. Emma Miller-Ayala led the way offensively with five goals, while Mia Delmond and Julia Givens added four apiece. Quinnipiac rallied from a 7-4 deficit in the second quarter, scoring 13 of the game's last 15 goals to run away with the contest.
RETURNING PROWESS
The 2026 roster is highlighted by the return of the 2025 MAAC Goalie and Rookie of the Year in Shannon Alden, along with All-Rookie selections Emma Miller-Ayala and Anna Givens returning to the roster.
The Bobcats also bring back an experienced offensive core, returning six of their top eight scorers from a season ago led by seniors Mia Delmond (59 points), who was a preseason All-MAAC selection, and Cate Bendowski (49 points) and the aforementioned Givens (28 points) and Miller-Ayala (15 points).
THE ROAD AHEAD
The 2026 slate includes a some perennial NCAA Tournament contenders, including Hofstra and Yale to open up the season. They will be two of the eight non-conference games the Bobcats have on their slate before league play begins on March 22. They welcome Niagara and Fairfield to Hamden for the first time since the 2022 and 2023 campaigns, respectively, as well has close out the league slate with Sacred Heart on April 18.
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For an inside look at the Quinnipiac women's lacrosse program, be sure to follow it on social media @QU_WLAX or go to gobobcats.com/wlax.
