Quinnipiac men’s soccer team fought its way to a 2-2 draw against Yale on Sunday. The game was rescheduled from the previous night due to weather concerns, but both teams showed up in an intense matchup.
The Bobcats fell behind early in the season, losing in their opening game at No. 7 Pitt, then suffering a 5-2 loss at UMass, despite two goals from senior defender Luke Schierenbeck. That left Quinnipiac at 0-2-0 heading into the game at Stony Brook, where the program was shut out 3-0, despite a career-high seven saves from junior goalkeeper Emilio Balderrama.
Quinnipiac entered the Yale game with a record of 0-3-0.
Quinnipiac grabbed the lead just before halftime when sophomore midfielder Fredrik Moen scored at the 43-minute mark, giving the team its first goal since facing UMass.
Yale struck back at the 70-minute mark to tie the game. The Bobcats responded quickly when senior forward Joey Saputo Jr. scored off assists from graduate student midfielder Drew Seguro and sophomore midfielder Sivert Ryssdalsnes at the 72-minute mark.
That put Quinnipiac ahead again, until the final minute, when Yale tied it at the 89 minute on a goal by freshman midfielder William Altirs to seal the 2-2 draw.
The Bobcats outshot Yale 13 to 8 overall. Quinnipiac was more aggressive in open field plays but had two corner kicks compared to Yale’s seven. Quinnipiac had eight fouls, while Yale had 16.
Balderrama finished with one save, while Yale’s senior goalkeeper Conrad Lee made two. It was an even game from both teams, having stretches of control, but neither team was able to pull away entirely.
Through four games, Quinnipiac has scored just four goals while conceding 11, and opponents have nearly doubled their shot output, 60 to 35. The Bobcats have put 11 shots in the goal compared to 26 from their opponents, which has been a key factor in their early struggles. In the MAAC standings, Quinnipiac sits at 0-3-1, at the bottom with a .125-win percentage.
Even with the rough start, there is hope for the rest of the season. Schierenbeck has been a consistent scoring option, leading the team in goals. Moen and Saputo both scored in the Yale game, highlighting multiple options who can step up. Seguro and Ryssdalsnes have been solid players in terms of setting up key goals.
Balderrama continues to be one of the team’s anchors, with his seven-save performance at Stony Brook proving he can keep them competitive even when the defense is under pressure. If Quinnipiac can tighten up defensively and find more consistent offense, there’s a good chance they can turn close games into wins as MAAC play continues.
The draw at Yale may not have been the first win they wanted, but it showed this team can compete and may be close to turning the season around Quinnipiac ties Yale in a 2-2 draw, bringing light to an otherwise murky season
Quinnipiac will face off against Caldwell in Hamden on Sep. 11. Kick off is set for 4 p.m.
