Despite the Quinnipiac Bobcats women’s lacrosse team (4-2, 1-1) out-shooting Sacred Heart 28-19, the Pioneers (2-5,1-0) capitalized on their opportunities earning a 9-8 victory that was back-and-forth the whole game.
“We played a gritty game,” Quinnipiac head coach Danie Caro said. “We played with a lot of heart but we didn’t execute and we didn’t play well together down the stretch when it counted.”
While the Bobcats fell by the score of 9-8, they had a litany of missed opportunities such as a shot hitting the post a mere 30 seconds into the game. Sacred Heart’s stalwart in goal, Chelsea Wagner, stopped 14 shots in the game. Quinnipiac also accrued eight more free position shots (9-1) helping the Bobcats hold the lead throughout the game.
The first salvos of the opening came from the sticks of Marissa Caroleao and Ashley Valentine with Christine Sinnigen assisting on the first of her two. The Bobcats tacked on one more goal giving them a 3-0 lead with 23:25 remaining to play in the first half.
Sacred Heart came back with a goal of their own by Alicia Fuchs, assisted by Mary Montesarchio after a clear by the Pioneers. Senior Amanda Williams followed Montesarchio by converting a diving goal past Noelle Martello, who was unable to stop the ball from hurrying past her into the net.
However, less than two minutes later, Bobcat freshman midfielder Devon Gibney responded with a goal after receiving a pass from Nicole Fiore. Marissa Caroleao fired a bounce shot over the Wagner’s outstretched stick, extending the lead to a score of 5-2.
The Pioneers came back to knot the score up at five by the end of the first half, behind goals Alicia Fuchs, Kate Kmiotek and Mary Montesarchio.
The second half started unmistakably similar to the first with Ashley Valentine netting a goal three minutes in, and Tiffany Manzi added a goal just after the hat.
The distinct pattern of scoring from the first half held up, as Sacred Heart retaliated with two goals at the hands of Mary Montesarchio who tallied her second and third goals of the afternoon, tying it at seven.
Sacred Heart’s Alicia Fuchs goal with 7:28 remaining in the game proved to be the difference in the 9-8 loss.
Caro was upset after a goal was taken away by the refs.
“Whatever call the ref makes is the correct one, and you have to play the game as it is called. It would have been nice if it was called back. It could have gone either way but you have to play the game. We had our opportunities to win it and I can’t blame the refs,” Caro said.
The Bobcats are home to Long Island next Sunday, March 29.
