HAMDEN — No two teams are the same, that’s the reality all college sports teams face each season. As seniors graduate and move on, they’re replaced by an influx of talent from incoming freshmen and transfers alike.
Quinnipiac field hockey is no exception. The team has seven new players on the roster including five first-year starters. With new faces on the team, the Bobcats are still searching for their rhythm after starting the 2024 season 0-3. On paper, Friday’s game was Quinnipiac’s worst of the season, a 4-0 loss to the University of New Hampshire after two close, one-goal defeats to open the season.
“No team wants to be 0-3, but today was actually our best team hockey that we’ve played all season,” head coach Nina Klein said. “There were definitely some lapses defensively, but across the board, I’m actually very proud of how they played today and I think it’s really just remaining motivated, consistent and positive and that’s a part of our team culture.”
After an uneventful first quarter, Quinnipiac looked like it was headed for another close game.
The Wildcats opened the scoring in the second quarter with a tip-in goal by junior forward Nicole Poulakis, assisted by fellow junior forward Tasmin Cookman. Despite trailing early in the second, the Bobcats found themselves in familiar territory — a nail-biter.
But consistent Wildcats pressure in front of veteran Quinnipiac goaltender Cristina Torres led to a third-quarter goal, doubling their lead to 2-0. This time, sophomore midfielder Addison MacNeil put one in from another assist by Cookman.
“We’ve got to clean up some of the things that are happening in front of [Torres] to make sure we’re in a good position to shut down good opponents that are fast like UNH today,” Klein said.
New Hampshire outshot Quinnipiac 21-12, but the Bobcats generated pressure in front of the net as well. They had seven penalty corner opportunities compared to New Hampshire’s three but couldn’t convert any of them.
“We just want to clean up our rebounding positions. I think we’ve got to get that first shot off but then we’re not always in a position to kind of put it away,” Klein said. “So I’d say those two things right now is where we want to kind of get better.”
A late fourth-quarter New Hampshire goal from sophomore midfielder Kathelijne Knuttel at the 51-minute mark put the Wildcats up 3-0. Cookman once again made an impact, putting a bow on the game with an unassisted goal, extending the lead to 4-0 in what would be the final score from Hamden.
“I’m not concerned, no team wants to be 0-3 in the first two weekends,” Klein said. “But we’re in a position where we’re getting better every practice and every game.”
Quinnipiac will look to celebrate the first win of its 30th season of the field hockey program when the Bobcats square off with Stonehill on Sunday Sept. 8.
“We’re fighting for our first win of the season. I’m really hopeful and I think we know that it’s coming very soon and then the goal is to go on a long winning streak,” Klein said. “I think for us it’s really just one, the excitement around the day, and being able to see alums come back and enjoy that day and also make sure we’re committing to getting our first win of the season.”
