With time winding down and still trailing by a goal, the Quinnipiac field hockey team knew they could not let Friday’s game against NEC rival Monmouth slip away. Throughout the entire game, the Bobcats outplayed the Hawks, but just couldn’t finish.
Everything changed with a mere 15 seconds left in regulation as red shirt junior forward Danielle Avenoso netted the game-tying goal. She then scored the game- winner in overtime to lift the Bobcats to an emotional 2-1 win. The victory extended the team’s winning streak to a season-high four games and kept the Bobcats undefeated in the NEC with a 3-0 record.
Monmouth grabbed a 1-0 lead late in the first half when a shot on the net was tipped past senior netminder Erin McKay. She only had to face six shots as the Bobcats’ defense was able to keep the Hawks away from their net for most of the game. It was the Bobcats’ offense that struggled as they just couldn’t finish on their scoring opportunities.
“Off ball, in front of the cage, we made some poor decisions, on where we were standing and where our sticks were,” head coach Becca Kohli said. “But we had three or four that could have gone one way or the other – almost hit the post, almost hit the side – and I think that’s what hurt us because when you do that over and over in a game, and you’re not producing, you get down and that’s harder to do then just play a steady game.”
The chances finally paid off when Avenoso took a shot off a penalty corner that beat Monmouth goalie Carrie Colbert with a mere 15 ticks left on the clock to force a sudden-death overtime period.
Avenoso and the Bobcats struck again as the senior scored just four minutes and 21 seconds into the OT period. It was her second goal of the game and her third in the past two. After the game, Avenoso noted how she has felt her game improving as of late.
“I started off a little slow, I was really sick at the beginning of the season, so now everything’s finally coming together,” Avenoso said.
Avenoso had a kidney infection over the summer, which she says drained her energy for about three weeks. But the experience only spurred her desire to get back on to the field.
“I got sick a week before I came back for preseason,” Avenoso said. “Because I wasn’t playing, I wanted it so much more.”
The Bobcats continued their NEC schedule on Sunday, October 2nd, against Robert Morris University at 12 p.m., and then have until Friday off when they host in-state rival Sacred Heart.
21 seconds into the OT period. It was her second goal of the game and her third in the past two. After the game, Avenoso noted how she has felt her game improving as of late.
“I started off a little slow, I was really sick at the beginning of the season, so now everything’s finally coming together,” Avenoso said.
Avenoso had a kidney infection over the summer, which she says drained her energy for about three weeks. But the experience only spurred her desire to get back on to the field.
“I got sick a week before I came back for preseason,” Avenoso said. “Because I wasn’t playing, I wanted it so much more.”
The Bobcats continued their NEC schedule on Sunday with a 4-0 win over Robert Morris. Avenoso scored five points to cap off a nine-point weekend as Quinnipiac extended its winning streak to five games. Quinnipiac, which is 7-3 overall, hosts Sacred Heart on Friday and Columbia on Sunday this weekend.
