HAMDEN — After a shutout victory against Villanova on Friday, Quinnipiac field hockey entered its Senior Day on a four-game win streak. However, the Northeastern Huskies spoiled the party, claiming a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Bobcats Sunday afternoon.
Six graduating Bobcats were honored pregame: juniors defender Lily Wolfe and midfielders Lauren Keyte and Lauren Kane, along with seniors midfielder Mo Quaille, forward Cameron Brower and goalkeeper Cristina Torres.
The Huskies jumped on the Bobcats early, forcing Torres to make multiple big saves after just three minutes of game time. Northeastern kept up the pressure the whole game, with Quinnipiac struggling to clear the ball out of its defensive zone.
The inability to clear led to seven Northeastern penalty corners, and all three Northeastern goals.
“I think we gave Northeastern too many attacking penalty corners today,” head coach Nina Klein said. “We just really want to make sure that we’re stifling play outside of the circle.”
The Bobcats were able to find some offense of their own with help from Brower, leading a breakout with 8:30 to go in the first quarter and just missing a pass to fellow senior Quaille.
With 1:48 to go, Brower fed a pass to sophomore midfielder Francisca Eschoyez and found the tip on her shot to tie the game at one a piece.
Northeastern pulled back ahead in the second quarter, but the Bobcats were able to clamp down on defense through the third quarter. Despite a green card assessed to Keyte and a yellow card to Brower, the Huskies couldn’t find the back of the net.
Quinnipiac wouldn’t score either, despite the best efforts of freshman forward Charlie Caunter, who was denied a quality chance in front of the net. Heading into the fourth quarter, the game remained at 2-1 Huskies.
The Bobcats came out swinging in the fourth quarter, a quick chance for Quaille went off the net, then a few minutes later, an Eschoyez shot from a penalty corner just kick-saved away. Instead, the Huskies scored with just eight minutes to go, making the score a difficult 3-1. Yet, the Bobcats refused to give up.
After connecting for the first goal, Eschoyez and Brower found each other again, the senior netting her third goal of the season, second of the game. Then, with just 1:14 to go, the Bobcats won a video review to get a penalty corner.
It initially appeared the Bobcats scored off the corner to tie the game, but instead a Northeastern foul that was called before it took it off the board, and on the second penalty corner attempt the Huskies were able to snuff out the attempt.
“Overall really proud of their fight in the last minute and a half,” Klein said. “We were close to tying it and really making it an exciting game.”
Quinnipiac will be back in action on Friday, Oct. 24, for its second-to-last Big East clash at Georgetown. The start time is to be determined.
