Men’s soccer

This team has hit a wall lately. After starting the season 5-0, the Bobcats are now losers of five of their last seven games.

But don’t let the team’s recent woes be the only thing you remember. This team was unstoppable at the beginning of the season, and there are many players to thank for the team’s torrid start, like sophomore goalkeeper Antreas Hadjigavriel and senior defender Jordon Bennett, just to name a couple.

Perhaps the one who deserves the most credit is junior forward Brage Aasen. The Norwegian star has truly come into his own during the 2021 campaign, nailing in eight goals in 13 games so far this season. That figure ties him with four other players for most in the conference.

Seeding going into the MAAC tournament matters, but the Bobcats are too talented to miss out on a playoff spot. The lack of success against MAAC opponents since Oct. 2, leaves too much doubt to be cast upon this team’s future outlook.

Grade: B

Women’s soccer

Similar to the men’s team, the women’s soccer team went on a tear to open the season, ripping off five straight wins, but this team was able to keep the success rolling.

The Bobcats sit at the second spot on the MAAC table, looking up at Monmouth who have only one more point. This is a great team with a lot of moving parts that contribute to its success, and to subtract from that would be doing women’s soccer head coach Dave Clarke and his squad a great disservice.

But sophomore forward Rebecca Cooke is the story of this team, and it isn’t close.

Cooke holds the crown for most goals in the MAAC (12) by a margin of two. She has two hat tricks so far this year and second in the conference in points with 26, only two off the pace for the top spot.

This team is special. I don’t believe in perfect grades, but this 10-3 team gets tantalizingly close.

Grade: A

Volleyball

The volleyball team’s overall record is misleading. The 6-14 mark is dragged down by strong out-of-conference opponents, which are responsible for eight of its losses.

The Bobcats are 5-6 in MAAC play, and have shown some spunk in the last couple weeks. They’ve taken a beating from the heavyweights in the conference like Marist, Fairfield and Rider, but they’ve won the matches they’re supposed to against teams like Manhattan and Saint Peter’s.

Sophomore setter Chloe Ka’ahanui has racked up 437 assists, sixth-most in the MAAC. Senior outside hitter Maggie Baker leads the team with 184 kills, with junior outside hitter Aryanah Diaz right behind her with 181.

Volleyball head coach Kyle Robinson has made it clear that this team is very focused on building a culture and having pride, and success comes secondary. But even in that case, this team has done what it’s expected to do.

The Bobcats profile as a middle-of-the-pack team whose talent is still relatively young. Ka’ahanui and Diaz still have at least one more year to give to the program and have exceeded expectations at their positions.

It’s tough to see any of the MAAC juggernauts being dethroned in November, but this team does have some definite juice.

Grade: C

Field hockey

There hasn’t been much to celebrate in the 2021 field hockey season.

The most exciting part of this team is freshman forward Emilia Massarelli, an Argentinian international student who leads the team in goals (6) by a long shot. Right from the jump, Massarelli showed that she was capable of commanding the Bobcats’ offense, and field hockey head coach Becca Main has called her one of the best players she’s ever coached.

“I know that there are special players out there, and I’d put her up there as the one-percent, because the team is enveloped in what she does,” Main said after the team’s 3-2 overtime win against Yale on Oct. 3.

And just when it felt like the 1-11 season couldn’t get much worse, Massarelli broke one of her ribs. She hasn’t missed any games, but her minutes were limited and she missed key moments on the field, including an overtime slugfest against Yale on Oct. 3.

The field hockey team plays in the Big East, not the MAAC, unlike most other Quinnipiac teams. The Big East features a lot of high-end, nationally-ranked talent.

Massarelli has been a bright side to an otherwise dark season, and her talent has lots of room to grow on a team in which she is already the focal point. Her potential is astronomical, but while her rib injury is on the mend, the team has struggled mightily.

Grade: D