HAMDEN, Conn — The Quinnipiac women’s basketball team opened the 2023-24 season with a resounding 70-57 victory over the Maine Black Bears Monday evening. After the Bobcats fell behind early, the hosts showcased resilience and offensive firepower as they defeated the visitors by double digits.
“It was magical,” Quinnipiac head coach Tricia Fabbri said. “It was great to open up at home against a veteran and really talented Maine Black Bear (team). We know on the schedule this was one we were going to have to scratch out … We didn’t scratch it out, we looked like we were in mid-season form. Really pleased with our progress to date.”
Quinnipiac trailed Maine 8-7 early, but junior guard Jackie Grisdale quickly emerged as the offensive leader for the Bobcats, scoring five of those first eight points.
As the first quarter concluded, Maine held a 19-12 lead, capitalizing on a diverse scoring effort with six different Black Bears contributing. A 6-0 run by Maine to finish the quarter highlighted its aggressive approach. However, Grisdale kept the Bobcats close, scoring eight of their 12 points.
Quinnipiac turned the tables in the second quarter with a 10-2 run, reversing the deficit into a 22-21 lead. Grisdale’s impressive performance continued to power the Bobcats’ offense as she elevated her total to 14 points.
The Bobcats then seized the momentum, embarking on a 9-0 sprint sparked by freshman guard Karson Martin’s five points and two assists while finding junior forward Grace LaBarge for a transition bucket to cap off the run.
This surge forced the visitors to call a timeout as Quinnipiac took a 31-25 lead.
“Coming off the bench you have a bunch of responsibilities,” Martin said. “You have to uphold all the energy and I just went out there and did what I needed to do.”
Maine fought back, but heading into halftime, the hosts held onto a narrow 33-31 lead, with Grisdale leading the way with 14 points and freshman forward Anna Foley adding 10.
Early in the third quarter, the Bobcats held onto their slim 42-40 lead. Then, Foley stepped up, going on a dominant offensive spree notching six points and two assists, initiating a 10-0 run for the Bobcats.
“Anna Foley … you can’t really say enough about her,” Fabbri said. “Her skillset, her size make her really special.”
By the end of the third, Quinnipiac had outscored Maine 21-10, establishing a comfortable 54-41 lead. Foley and Grisdale led the scoring for the Bobcats, each up to 16 points in the game.
The final quarter saw Quinnipiac maintain its double digit lead, pushing the advantage to as much as 18, before eventually closing out the game for a 70-57 win.
Foley, making her debut for the Bobcats, finished with an impressive 21 points, five rebounds, and four assists. Her performance set a record for the most points by a freshman in a Quinnipiac debut. The synergy between Grisdale and Foley proved to be a decisive factor in overcoming Maine’s early advantage.
With the win, Quinnipiac starts the season 1-0 for the first time since 2020. The Bobcats will try to carry the momentum into their next game against Harvard on Nov. 12 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
