The Bobcats’ bench stormed the field on Sunday after Dayna Barlow scored the overtime winner to give Quinnipiac field hockey a 5-4 win over Fairfield at the QU Field Hockey Turf Complex in Hamden.

With the win, the Bobcats are co-regular season Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference champions.

Barlow’s goal, her second of the game, came unassisted after 75 minutes and 59 seconds of play, when she weaved her way through several defenders and fired a shot past Caitlin Bennett, the Fairfield goalkeeper.

The overtime winner from Barlow capped off a three-goal run for the Bobcats leading to a comeback win.

“We really prepared well,” Barlow said after the game. “We took it day by day, we worked on everything we needed to and I think everything just came together. Even though we were down 2-0 at the beginning, we knew we had to win it and we came out hard and we gave it everything we could.”

The Bobcats started the game down 2-0 after goals from Fairfield’s Julie de Paeuw at 5:42 and leading scorer Ann Burgoyne at 8:17. Burgoyne’s goal was assisted by Ruth Smalbraak.

Quinnipiac answered with two goals of their own, the first coming from Dayna Barlow at 16:54, assisted by Michelle Federico. The second goal came unassisted from Meghan McCullough at 17:52.

Ann Burgoyne took over the offense for Fairfield, scoring back-to-back goals and completing her hat trick with scores coming at 34:00 and 43:22. Julie de Paeuw assisted Burgoyne’s third and final goal.

From there, the Bobcats came roaring back scoring three unanswered goals. The first came at 51:42 from Felicia Costanzo. Costanzo’s goal was followed by a goal from Angie King at 66:52, assisted by Meghan McCullough and Haley Swartz.

Barlow’s overtime winner sealed the comeback win at 75:59 for the Bobcats.

“Being able to come from behind, which we’ve done numerous times, shows character,” Quinnipiac head coach Becca Main said.

Main also praised her team’s balance, but was sure to give Barlow credit. “I guess recently you have to say Dayna Barlow has really stepped up her game and she’s been steady all season but for us there’s a balance.”

“When you have that balance, you don’t look at the end of a game like this for some one certain person to have the ball so I think it’s really nice that we can put the ball on anyone’s stick and we have that confidence to win a MAAC conference regular season title.”

Now, as co-MAAC regular season champions, the Bobcats are preparing for the MAAC tournament.

“I think we have big expectations,” Barlow said. “We have really good confidence going into it now… and I think we can win a title.”

Coach Main was thrilled after the win. “There’s a rewarding feeling that what you’ve done has gotten you to this point and you’ve trusted it, and now you’re a MAAC regular season champion,” Main said.

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