Quinnipiac women’s basketball got off on the right foot to start the season with a down-to-the-wire 78-74 win over Holy Cross Monday.
Head coach Tricia Fabbri found herself dipping into her bench early in the game as sophomore center Anna Foley received two fouls in under two minutes of play.
The Bobcats in general found themselves in foul trouble early on in the first half, to which Holy Cross took advantage of — knocking in six of seven free throws.
It seemed like the Bobcats were simply unable to capitalize on possessions rather than Holy Cross playing exceptional defense.
Quinnipiac generated multiple open looks during the opening half of play, but the shots just weren’t falling. The Bobcats only landed six of 17 attempted shots in the first quarter.
Holy Cross head coach Candice Green echoed this sentiment at halftime.
“I feel like they’re missing shots,” Green said on ESPN+. “We’re not making them miss.”
Sophomore guard Karson Martin was one of the few bright spots on a Quinnipiac team that struggled to get its footing together.
Martin scored 15 points in an efficient first half and finished the game with a career-high 24. Her crafty ability to maneuver at the rim helped take the pressure off Quinnipiac.
The third quarter didn’t start well either for the Bobcats. More offensive troubles caused Holy Cross to go on an 8-2 run in the first two minutes of play, causing Fabbri to call a timeout.
Whatever adjustments Fabbri made during that break worked. Following the timeout, the Bobcats roared to a 51-49 lead by the three-minute mark in the third quarter —in a game that saw Quinnipiac trailing 37-32 at halftime.
By the end of the third quarter, a heater of three-pointers changed the momentum and the Bobcats snatched a 63-50 lead.
Freshman point guard Gal Raviv started her season off with a bang. Raviv, the only first year starter for either team, finished with 22 points while also showcasing her play on both ends of the floor.
Her defensive versatility and three steals helped the Bobcats gain momentum during the second half.
During the fourth quarter, Raviv shined. Her quickness to the basket proved too much for the Holy Cross defense, allowing her to get to the line.
The Bobcats’ ability to control the offensive glass during the final quarter helped pave their way to victory. Quinnipiac snagged 12 offensive rebounds during the matchup.
The pendulum swung back to Holy Cross late in the fourth, it even cut the deficit to just three points with eight seconds left. But a game-tying shot missed the rim and fell to the ground.
In a season with high expectations, winning the first game of the year is a strong first step.
Quinnipiac looks to continue the momentum into its home opener against Harvard on Nov. 10. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.
