HAMDEN — Tug-of-war. 

What better way is there to describe the Bobcat’s 3-1 home opener win against Rider Saturday afternoon? Although the Broncs managed to snatch only one set, it very easily could’ve ended differently. 

“We start almost every set with a one point deficit,” junior middle blocker Bailey Brashear said. “And it doesn’t seem like a lot, but at that point you’re already in a hole and you have to dig. We wanna be able to take that first point and get ourselves out of the hole before we get in it.” 

Which is exactly what happened. Quinnipiac started off the game trailing after Rider and continued to do so across the sets. 

Quinnipiac came into this match off of a 3-8 pre-conference slate and a two game losing streak. However, the Bobcats are warriors, as head coach Kyle Robinson likes to refer to his team, and they don’t give up. Especially not on their home court. 

“Being away for a really long time is difficult, to be on the road and traveling all the time,” Brashear said. “But then to come home and to have the atmosphere we had, it’s really exciting for us. And once we get going, they get going and it really brings up our energy.” 

The Bobcats’ fans once again filled the Burt Kahn Court, cheering loudly enough to cause the roof to fly off — but Robinson wants more. 

“I love our fans, especially when they come out,” Robinson said. “But I would love to see more people come out, more non athletes, I would love to see us reach more into the student body.”

Nevertheless, the support from their fellow athletes, parents and fans gave Bobcats the energy burst they needed to come out on top, especially after they dropped the second set. 

But even before the game, the team saw some changes on the starting line-up. 

Graduate opposite Elena Giacomini joined the line-up and didn’t disappoint, leading the team with 19 kills, 57 total attacks and a .193 hitting percentage. 

“(Giacomini)’s played at a high level, she’s a little bit older, little bit wiser,” Robinson said. “Any smart quarterback should give the ball to their best receiver, or however that goes.”

The Italian native has amounted 195 kills in the 13 games she suited up for. 

“I have really high standards for this team,” Giacomini said. “I really trust these girls and I think we can do a great job. My dream would be to win all the games and I wanna push the girls to have this dream too. I really trust the coach, so as long as we follow him we’ll be fine.” 

Right behind her were sophomore outside hitter Leilani-kai Giusta and junior outside hitter Yagmur Gunes, both killing 16 and 15 points respectively. 

The Bobcats led the statistics in every attack category — including attack and service errors. 

“International players serve differently than domestic players, when we’re on, we’re unstoppable,” Robinson said. “The service errors drive me crazy. Elena’s serve, she’s going for it, when it’s nice it’s like a missile, but it has a higher chance of risk. But a float serve? Come on bro, put the ball in the court.”

Gunes’ four survive errors were exactly what prompted Robinson to switch her out with freshman defensive specialist Carola Negron Diaz, in her first ever appearance as a Bobcat. 

“She just got healthy, just got cleared a few days ago,” Robinson said. “She’s a very very good volleyball player, we are lucky to have her. I think she did a really great job and I can see her competing for the libero spot.”

Robinson has been playing with his line-ups recently, especially with the return of junior middle blocker Milena Silva and the loss of former Bobcats — middle blocker Lexi Morse and opposite Aryanah Diaz. Senior opposite Alexandra Tennon, for example, has been recently switching in and out of the middle position. 

“If you wanna suit up, you can have it,” Robinson said on that. “We’re kind of making it up as we go, we’ll see who’s healthy and who’s ready to play. It’s not a favoritism thing.”

The biggest loss for the team is undoubtedly the season-ending injury that the junior outside hitter Ginevra Giovagnoni suffered. The MAAC Preseason Player of the Year sat on the bench, one of her legs in full cast. 

“Everyone’s coming for us (now),” Robinson said. “When you lose a player like Ginevra, they all go, hm we got a shot. And I always go, no you don’t.”

But it seems to be working so far for the team if today’s game was anything to go off. It was a tug-of-rope situation where both of the teams had a good chance of coming out on top in all four sets. 

Nevertheless, Quinnipiac claimed the victory, 25-19, 24-26, 25-22 and 25-21. 

The Bobcats were supported today by their Team IMPACT member, Mona. Team IMPACT is a national nonprofit that connects children facing serious and chronic illness with college athletic teams, forming life-long bonds and life-changing outcomes.

“She’s a true fan,” Robinson said. “At the end of the day this is only volleyball, and I love it, but what I mean is, there’s bigger things in life than us hitting a ball over the net.”

Robinson’s team started connecting with Mona over the summer and continued to do so once their training began.

“It’s something that I was so grateful for, just because she brings in a different kind of feeling for us,” Brashear said. “We get to do it, we get to do it for people like her. That energy from her and her family has been really a game changer for us.”

Quinnipiac looks forward to welcoming Saint Peter’s, who played its first game tonight at 7 p.m. at Merrimack College in Massachusetts. 

“We’re not changing anything until (Saint Peter’s) gives us a reason to do something different,” Robinson said. 

The Bobcats take on the Peacocks Sunday at 1 p.m. to conclude the home opener weekend.