HAMDEN, Conn.– Heading into the final game of the season, Quinnipiac field hockey was riding a three-game losing streak — taking it out of the playoff picture. After taking on Drexel Sunday afternoon, the streak continued as the Dragons defeated the Bobcats 2-0 in the final game of the season.
The Bobcats played all seven seniors/graduate students on the roster and head coach Nina Klein knows they gave everything for the program.
“(Seven) individuals that gave their all this year … I think they’re going to be very much missed,” Klein said. “They mean a great deal to this program and they gave a lot of time and effort and dedication.”
The first two quarters were back and forth, as neither team could find the back of the net.Because of the stern defense on both sides, the best chance for either team came in the second quarter.
For the Bobcats, graduate student midfielder Julianna Cappello had their first shot of the game that was kicked away by graduate student goalkeeper Megan Hadfield. For the visiting Dragons, freshman midfielder Grace O’Connor had back-to-back chances, but sophomore goalkeeper Cristina Torres saved them both to keep the game tied at zero.
To start the second half, Klein replaced Torres with senior Nina Santore — who hadn’t played in a game this season.
“I think she had a pretty stellar day,” Klein said. “We mentioned that it can be tough to come off the bench and get prepared but I think overall she kept us in the game.”
The Dragons found the back of the net twice in the third quarter as both sophomore midfielder Marti Sanabria and freshman forward Delfi Cabral put the ball past Santore and into the cage. Sanabria scored after she cleaned up a rebound to take the 1-0 lead. Right after, Cabral took the ball around Santore and put it into the open net to double the Dragons’ lead.
The Bobcats had five penalty corner opportunities in the second half but couldn’t convert. Freshman defender Katie Shanahan had the best chance of the second half off a penalty corner, as she tried to find graduate student midfielder Stella Tegtmeier rushing in towards the goal. Tegtmeier couldn’t control the ball as it trickled out of bounds.
In Klein’s first season at the helm in Hamden, the Bobcats finished the year with a 6-11 record on the season and a 2-5 record in conference. 13 out of the 17 games this season were decided by one goal with the Bobcats record being 4-9 in one-goal games.
“I feel like all year we kept hitting adversity, a lot of like one-goal games, but just making sure that we’re steadfast on the next task at hand or the next opportunity to win really,” Klein said.
Quinnipiac now looks to the 2024 season after just missing out on the Big East playoffs.
“I’m just excited to develop them in the spring,” Klein said. “I’d say for 2024 we just want to be an amazing attacking team that is good defensively, which we got there towards the end of the season with only conceding penalty corner goals.”
