The Quinnipiac women’s soccer team lost to the Monmouth Hawks by a score of 1-0 on Saturday, Oct. 5, at the Quinnipiac Soccer and Lacrosse Stadium. With this loss, the Bobcats fall to 5-6 (1-3 MAAC).

[media-credit id=2272 align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]While the Bobcats didn’t get the result they wanted, the game served as a teaching tool for the underclassmen, who got the opportunity to play an experienced Monmouth team that knows how to win.

“It was more, maybe the last 10-15 minutes where, we brought in a lot of freshmen, a lot of sophomores,” Quinnipiac head coach Dave Clarke said. “It’s more of a teaching tool … We did little things well, but nowhere near what we’ve done in the last few games. You got to learn and earn the right to play in certain games.”

Even with Monmouth dominating possession, holding onto the ball for 69 percent of the first half, the clubs entered halftime knotted at 0-0. Quinnipiac’s best chance to score came on a free kick in the 16th minute by sophomore midfielder Selena Salas. Salas tapped the ball forward to redshirt-junior forward Kelsey Goldring, but she sent the ball wide left, failing to capitalize on the opportunity. Monmouth had a total of seven shots ¬– five of which were on goal – compared to three shots by Quinnipiac, none of which were on frame.

In the 35th minute, Goldring went down with an ugly-looking injury. Goldring made a sliding tackle on Quinnipiac’s goal line, saving a potential cross from Monmouth. After the tackle, Goldring popped right back up, but then immediately fell back to the turf with a cry of pain. Goldring wasn’t able to leave the field on her own power and was carried off by two team trainers.

[media-credit id=2272 align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Throughout the game, Quinnipiac struggled to maintain possession. The ball spent most of its time traveling straight up and down the field with minimal horizontal movement, and Clarke expressed his displeasure at the team’s inability to exceed in this imperative aspect of the game following the final whistle.

“It was more 50-50 challenges than it was clear possession,” Clarke said. “You’ve got to get the ball down and play. We’ve got to slow down the tempo – can Meaghan get on the ball and keep it, play out from the back, keep the ball a little bit. We didn’t get (Salas) or (Bjeleri) on the ball enough in the first half … it can’t be a game of 50-50 challenges.”

The visiting Hawks took advantage in the second half when they were awarded a penalty kick following a foul by redshirt-senior defender Kylie Lance in the 62nd minute. Freshman midfielder Maddison Perna took the penalty for Monmouth.

She sent the ball streaking to the right side of the net. Quinnipiac freshman goalkeeper Meaghan Phillips made a dive at the ball, but it flew just past her outstretched hands. The ball clanked off the right post, bouncing back into the field of play where it struck Phillips as she fell to the ground as a result of her dive. The ball bounced off of Phillips’ back and went into the net, putting Monmouth up 1-0 with little time left to play.

[media-credit id=2272 align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]From that point on, Monmouth remained in control. Quinnipiac’s best opportunity to tie the game came after a handball committed by Perna in the 77th minute. The Bobcats made an attempt to capitalize on the free kick from just outside the 18-yard box, but Monmouth cleared the ball to maintain the lead.

Clarke wasn’t thrilled with the result today, but he expressed that his team’s mindset won’t change moving forward.

“It hasn’t changed for us all year,” Clarke said. “We specifically gone in and said, ‘we’re just going game by game.’ We haven’t mentioned Monmouth, we haven’t mentioned Rider, we haven’t mentioned Marist. And that’s more because it’s a lot of young players, so in that regard it doesn’t change because I don’t want to put pressure on them and tell them they have to win a game.”

Quinnipiac looks to respond as it travels to Lessing Field, where it will play fellow MAAC opponent Fairfield on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m. Fairfield is currently 6-3-2 (3-0-0 MAAC) and has won three straight games.