With the MAAC Tournament looming, the Quinnipiac men’s soccer team (6-9-1 overall, 5-4 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) wraps up their regular season at home Wednesday against the St. Peter’s Peacocks (3-10-2 overall, 2-7 MAAC).
The Bobcats, having already clinched a spot in the tournament, look to grab some momentum before a quarterfinal matchup on Sunday. The six spots in the tournament have already been clinched, as the Bobcats can get as high as the third seed with a victory and other results on Wednesday. A 3rd or 4th seed spot for Quinnipiac would see them playing that quarterfinal matchup in Hamden. First they have to take care of business against a St. Peter’s team that will be playing the final game of the season following a dismal campaign.
Players to Watch
Quinnipiac – Eamon Whalen
Following a crucial penalty in an 3-2 overtime win against Marist, Whelan has adjusted nicely. Rather than let the missed penalty loom over him, he quickly turned around and was part of both Bobcat goals in a 2-0 win over Siena last Wednesday. The sophomore forward was the Bobcats’ leading scorer last season, but struggled to find his form again this year. Despite only finding the back of the net twice this season, Whelan still remains one of the Bobcats’ biggest threats. He should play a key role in their quest for a return trip to the MAAC Championship game.
St. Peter’s – Santiago Mateus
Mateus is the reigning MAAC Offensive Player of the Week following his two- goal outing against Siena on Saturday. The senior out of Morristown, New Jersey will look to close out his career with a bang on Wednesday against the Bobcats. With Quinnipiac already having clinched a spot in the MAAC tournament, they could rest some of their key defensive players. If that happens, look for Mateus try and expose the backups and grab a win in his final collegiate game.
Keys to the Game
The Bobcats should not take this game lightly, despite having already booking their ticket to the MAAC tournament. A win could give them not only some momentum, but a home game in the tournament. Although not as good as they would hope to be at home, the Bobcats should would have some motivation if they played their quarterfinal matchup on home turf. As for the Peacocks, the end of a long, tough season is here. Following a dreadful season, I’m sure the Peacocks would love to grab a road victory to close out the season. Look for them to give the Bobcats a hard game for all 90 minutes.
The Game
Wednesday’s regular season finale should be a fun one, and as it could be the final home game for the Bobcats this season, hopefully all of Bobcat Nation will be in attendence. If you can’t make the game, tune in live at 1 p.m. on http://www.quinnipiacbobcats.com/ as Alex Pena and Andrew Meyers will be on the call. Follow our Twitter @qbsn for live updates throughout the games.
