It was senior day for the Quinnipiac women’s soccer team on Sunday afternoon. Prior to the game the 10 seniors had a ceremony in which each player’s career achievements were listed as they were introduced to the crowd with their parents and family at their side. The game would begin and end with the seniors.
In the 106th minute of play, junior Rebecca Kiting ended a scoring drought between the Quinnipiac women’s soccer team and NEC opponent Mount St. Mary’s to win the game with just under four minutes remaining in the second and final overtime period.
The win moves Quinnipiac (8-4-2, 4-2-1 NEC) into 2nd place in the NEC rankings with three games remaining on the season. All of which are against NEC conference opponents.
“When you play a 10-game schedule, every game has huge importance,” Quinnipiac head coach Dave Clarke said. “If we had lost today, we probably fall into a tie for seventh place in the standings.”
The contest appeared to be headed for a draw. The Bobcat squad dominated the ball throughout much of the game. They put 11 shots on net over the course of the games 106 minutes – three of which hit post. In contrast, Mount St. Mary’s (7-6-1, 2-2-1 NEC) only tested Bobcat keeper Jillian Kelley with two shots on goal.
With the season on the line senior Crystal Burns took a loose ball on the left corner and sent it head-high to the near post inside the penalty box. Her teammate, Kiting, elevated and headed the ball past Mount St. Mary’s keeper Vicky Cocozza for the game-winner.
“Dave actually made a comment during the week about how girls don’t get goals off headers,” said Kiting about her head coach Dave Clarke. “I pretty much wanted to prove him wrong on that one. I was out there just to get my head on it.”
The Bobcats have just three games remaining on the schedule for their 2012 regular season. The final game of the season is a match-up with Saint Francis (PA) who currently sits atop the NEC standings. The first game of the NEC tournament begins on Nov. 2.
“We’re always in control of our own destiny but I didn’t want to go to St. Francis on the last day having to win,” said Clarke. “Now we’ve got a huge game against Sacred Heart on Friday. If we win there, we put one foot in the playoffs which was the goal all along.”
