HAMDEN, Conn. – The Quinnipiac women’s soccer team stayed undefeated in MAAC play Wednesday, beating Marist 6-1 behind six different scorers.
The Bobcats took five minutes and 54 seconds to take the lead as junior defender Madison Mandleur crossed in a ball off a free kick which was volleyed home by graduate student defender Kayla Mingachos.
Senior midfielder Emely van der Vliet scored two minutes and 29 seconds after Mingachos to give Quinnipiac an early 2-0 lead within nine minutes.
After Marist senior midfielder Emily Harwood was issued a yellow card for a late tackle, Mandleur converted the ensuing free kick as she dipped it right over the wall to make it a 3-0 game.
“It started this year, I didn’t take free kicks,” Mandleur said. “So at practice, or the day before games, we usually work on that and it’s the same delivery every time so I just tried to do it in game.”
During the free kick, head coach Dave Clarke had Mandleur, a lefty, and van der Vliet, a righty, stand over the ball to confuse sophomore goalkeeper Maddy Catalanotti.
“Having players who can deliver left foot and right foot and then having players over the ball that can play left and right together,” Clarke said. “The goalkeeper doesn’t know if she (should) step right or step left, and then also having to deal with the runner too.”
Mingachos and Mandleur scored their first goals of the season in the first half, showcasing the team’s depth.
“It’s harder for other teams when they come into the playoffs because it’s not like they have to watch one person scoring goals,” Mandleur said. “They have to be aware that everyone is willing to score.”
In the 32nd minute, freshman forward Evelyn Keay’s first shot rang off the post. The Washington state native connected on the rebound to increase Quinnipiac’s lead to 4-0.
Four minutes later, a through ball by junior midfielder Rachel Roman found the feet of fellow junior midfielder Ella Gagno, who slotted the ball into the bottom right corner to score her first of the year and the fifth of the game for the Bobcats.
The Red Foxes got a goal back after senior midfielder Amanda Caldarelli volleyed a shot off a bounce into the top left corner to cut the Quinnipiac lead to 5-1 in the 50th minute.
The Bobcats answered back in the 65th minute when sophomore midfielder Milena Branco poked in a low cross by graduate student midfielder Markela Bejleri to score the sixth and final goal for the Bobcats.
While controlling the pace of play, Quinnipiac had 24 players see minutes while also changing goalkeepers. Junior goalkeeper Gwen Hoyt replaced senior goalkeeper Sofia Lospinoso in the 60th minute for the second time this season.
The Bobcats now head into the final four games of the MAAC regular season with three on the road, including their next game at Siena on Oct. 14.
“We just got to play on the front foot, we’ve got to be assertive,” Clarke said. “The next two are a little bit difficult just because of the time traveling. But again, this is the importance of playing these games.”
Quinnipiac knows that it’s all about the three points and it will take its current momentum and use it for the games coming up.
“It’s all about the three points,” Mingachos said. “We’re gonna do whatever it takes, we’re going to take what we’ve done at home and transfer that straight to wherever we go.”
