The Quinnipiac Bobcats (3-13 overall, 2-1 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) hosted the Saint Peter’s Peacocks (0-14 overall, 0-4 MAAC) for their home opener on Saturday Sept. 23. The Bobcats swept the Peacocks in three sets (25-15, 25-15, 25-14) and improved to 2-1 in MAAC play.
The Bobcats and Peacocks started off the game going back and forth on the scoreboard. In the first 30 points, neither team had more than a two-point lead. Suddenly, the Bobcats kicked it into second gear, scoring the last 10 points to win the first set.
Each time a set started, the Bobcats and Peacocks would be neck-and-neck with each other, and each set it was the Bobcats who would pull away with a large margin win.
“It’s nice to be back on our home court,” Elizabeth Kloos said. “To have the fans here to support us and to prove that we’re going to make this a great season for everyone.”
Kloos had seven kills and three blocks on the day, but it was her leadership skills that head coach Kris Czaplinski was praising.
“[Elizabeth] has been great this year,” Czaplinski said. “She’s been learning as we go since last year being named a captain and she’s been instrumental.”
The Peacocks entered this game winless, but if they proved anything to the Bobcats, it’s that they weren’t going to make it easy for them.
“Saint Peter’s is a lot better this year than in years past,” Czaplinski said. “The new coach over there is doing a great job.”
It took a while for the Bobcats’ offense to get into a groove. However, they were having a block party defensively. The team had 16 blocks with Kloos, Kat Miller and Kaleigh Oates leading the team with three each. Czaplinski believes his defense is more than ready to handle Rider in their next game.
“I haven’t been worried about [defense] all year. It was our offense that was struggling a little bit, but defensively we’ve been good this whole year and our back line’s been phenomenal.”
The Bobcats went 1-12 in their non-conference schedule this year. They faced several teams that were ranked in the top 30 in the country, such as Washington State and Baylor. It was the first time in program history that the Bobcats played nationally-ranked teams. Quinnipiac did struggle in non-conference play this year, but playing teams that are some of the best in the country could benefit them in MAAC play.
“They know that this is the hardest schedule that Quinnipiac has ever faced,” Czaplinski said. “We played two top 30 teams in Baylor and Washington State. We challenged them in one of those games. They understand the reason for that harder schedule and they’re going to take that going into the MAAC.”
Quinnipiac’s win marks only their third of the season, but their second in MAAC play. The Bobcat’s next chance for another win will come tomorrow against against conference-rival Rider (6-8 overall, 1-2 MAAC) at Burt Kahn Court in Hamden at 1 p.m.
