By Kevin Noonan, QBSN Staff Writer

Senior Kemesha Woodfine (Stamford, Conn.) scored her third game-winning goal of the season for the Quinnipiac Bobcats (5-2-1, 1-0 NEC) as they defeated the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights (3-4-3, 0-1 NEC) in the opening game of Northeast Conference play.

The game-winner was also Woodfine’s third overall goal of the season, her most in any season as a Bobcat.

Woodfine had missed the past two games with an injury before starting at forward for the Bobcats against the Knights.

“It’s my first game back off the injury and I’m in pain.  It’s a great feeling, it’s awesome,” Woodfine said.

Quinnipiac came into the game on a two game losing streak and having only scored one goal in the past four games before the Bobcats picked up the win today.

Senior Goalkeeper Jill Kelley (Simsbury, Conn.) picked up her fourth clean sheet of the season, as well as her fifth victory.  Kelley anchored a defense that has been great all season long and shut down one of the top offense in the NEC.

Both Quinnipiac and Fairleigh Dickinson played to a 0-0 tie at the end of the first half with little offense coming between both teams, each team with only 2 shots.

“We worked hard and dominated the first half but we didn’t play well.  When you look at that domination and not playing well it’s easy to say to them ‘Listen, if you just raise your game then the goal will come,’” Head Coach Dave Clarke said.

Both teams came inches away from capitalizing on these limited opportunities.  Fairleigh Dickinson had a shot almost roll through the legs of Kelley but she was able to grab it before the ball crossed the goal line.

Junior Crystal Burns (Overland Park, Kan.) had a shot ricochet off the crossbar midway through the first half before the rebound was controlled by Knights Goalkeeper Sage Dovale.  Another opportunity came when sophomore Jess Lavoie (Berlin, Conn.) crossed a pass to Woodfine who came up a step short in putting the ball in the back of the net.

Quinnipiac’s defense came up big for the Bobcats in the half, controlling an offense that averaged nearly 11 shots per game.  This allowed Clarke to move defender Shauna Edwards (Southington, Conn.) into the midfield to pick up the team offensively.

“They weren’t causing us as much problems on her side so it was almost like she was wasted at right back.  We needed to pick up the ball and drive at their back four,” Clarke said.

The offense came alive for the Bobcats in the second half as they controlled tempo right from the start.  Quinnipiac played the majority of the half on the offensive end, ending the half with ten total shots and 12 for the game.

The victory gives the Bobcats their fifth win of the season, equaling last season’s win total.  It is something Quinnipiac will add onto, as they get deeper into the all-important conference games.

“We got a lot of chances and a lesson today that we need to put away our chances.  We take that from this game moving on that we need to execute,” Woodfine said.

Quinnipiac looks to surpass last season’s win total on Sunday as they take on in-state rival Central Connecticut State University at 2 P.M., a game that can be heard live on the Quinnipiac Bobcats Sports Network.