The Quinnipiac Bobcats (4-7, 0-0 MAAC) were able to finish on their scoring chances as they defeated the Brown Bears (6-2, 1-2 Ivy League) by the final score of 3-1. The Bobcats played an all around great team game with three different players scoring.
“This was a really great character win, in terms of seeing veterans step up. Savanna Reilly and Angie King really did a nice job on the field and I’m really proud of them,” head coach Becca Main said. “But then you look at Megan Conaboy, Megan Osanitsch and Danielle Allan; they really made the opportunities for our freshman to step in and play significant time.”
There was plenty of back and forth action in the first half of the game. Both the Bobcats and Bears had chances to score. Despite that the Bobcats jumped out to an early lead off a goal from senior Danielle Allan. Allan picked up the ball in the circle and shot it past Brown’s senior goalkeeper Shannon McSweeny as she was coming out of her net.
Allan, who usually plays as a forward was switched to midfield and the change, seemed to have paid off.
“We did move her back to the midfield and she actually played center midfield today,” Main said. “We’re missing about three starters to injuries so she stepped back to center mid and I really loved her there and you just saw her embrace that position with excitement and passion.”
Allan is expected to play center midfield again in the next couple of matches due to the success she had against Brown after the change.
“I’m a returner and it’s expected of me,” Allan said. “Sometimes in practice I would play midfield and it’s just something I had to do and pick up and with the help of the players around me it just worked out.”
The first half ended with the Bobcats up 1-0. The shots on goal were two for each team in a tight, hard fought and physical game.
“It’s a physical game, I mean they’re a very physical team but I think that’s something we need especially going into conference play,” Allan said. “The conference is a whole new type of game, everyone is physical and hungry, we have some defending to do.”
In the start off the second half Allan came inches away with putting the Bobcats up by two as she was all alone in the front of the net with just McSweeny to beat but she turned the shot just a couple of inches wide.
Brown would tie the game up at 1-1 off of a beautifully executed corner where junior Alexis Miller blasted a shot past senior goalkeeper Megan Conaboy.
Quinnipiac started to push the pace after letting up that goal and answered with a great corner of their own. Senior Megan Osanitsch passed the ball to sophomore Angie King as she tipped the ball in from the back post. King’s goal put the Bobcats up 2-1.
The Bobcats would put the final nail in the coffin as the time in the second half was winding down when freshman Savanna Reilly took a feed from fellow freshman Dayna Barlow and tapped the ball into the back of the net.
The Bobcats will start conference play on Friday Oct. 10 as they will face Sienna in Lonudonville, New York.
