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[/media-credit]The Quinnipiac field hockey team (4-8 overall, 1-4 Big East) was defeated by the Providence Friars (9-6 overall, 3-2 Big East) on Friday at home, 6-2.
Despite the loss, head coach Becca Main understands that her team hasn’t played too many high level conference games and that Providence executed its gameplan.
“Providence has a really nice older team, they have a good game plan and it’s simple, but it’s really hard to play against,” Main said. “We struggle in a lot of areas as a young team, we’re making a lot of mistakes in the backfield and you don’t always want to blame it on youth, but we have a first time center back, right back, left back and goalie.”
The Friars wasted no time getting on the board as sophomore midfielder Maddie Babineau and junior midfielder/forward Alyson Parker were each able to score unassisted goals to put Providence up 2-0 going into halftime.
As for its defense, Providence held Quinnipiac to no shots on goal and it was able to get eight shots going into the first half.
Main explained how the Bobcats weren’t use to seeing that type of style and how it caused the offensive unit to struggle settling in.
“They play a really nice two-touch pass seam, they receive and release,” Main said. “We rely too much on our stick work sometimes, that’s when you get in trouble and you get doubled and stripped. Those are the things we have to emulate and work towards but play better against.”
Providence continued its momentum into the second half as it scored four unanswered goals to take a 6-0 lead. Quinnipiac was finally able to get on the board at 59:38 in the second half as junior forward/midfielder Amanda Blum scored her first goal of the season and junior forward Valerie Perkins scored her fifth goal of the season at 68:21 to give the Bobcats two goals.
Although the Bobcats were outshot 18 to 11 and had seven shots on goal to Providence’s nine, they matched the Friars in penalty corners with seven.
Main discussed what the Bobcats need to do in order to convert on more of these chances throughout the course of the game.
“We did get to play a lot of people today,” Main said. “We saw some really good things from very young players out there and at one point we had seven freshmen out there. They were able to draw the corners and we had some power from Bianka (Strubbe). It may be a little too late, but that’s what we’re looking for at the beginning of a game.”
The Bobcats will have to put this game behind them as on Sunday they go on the road to face a Yale team that is 5-6 overall and 1-2 in conference play. Knowing how much of a foe Yale is to Quinnipiac, Main knows what type of energy her team will bring.
“Yale is always a rival for all Quinnipiac sports, it’s a game that everyone gets up for and is exciting,” Main said. “It’s coming together and having an organized game plan that we are lacking and have to work on for Sunday.”
