By: Shane Dennehy

On Saint Patrick’s Day the Quinnipiac Bobcats took on the Miami Hurricanes and it was their Irish guard Edel Thornton who stepped up.

Thornton did not start a game this season until the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship last Monday and this afternoon against Miami. Thornton had impressed Quinnipiac head coach Tricia Fabbri in practice this past week.

“Speaking to Edel, she had an incredible week of practice, really aggressive, wanting the ball, playing so confidently getting ready for this tournament,” Fabbri said. “I do think there was an extra pep in her step because her family was coming over.”

Thornton came out firing in the first half as the Bobcats and Hurricanes went back and forth. Not only was Thornton playing in front of a primarily Quinnipiac fan base but also her own family who traveled from Ireland to watch Quinnipiac.

“I had to, we had to,” Thornton said on if she had to win on Saint Patrick’s Day. “They traveled all the way from Ireland so I couldn’t send them home any other way. It means a lot, in all regards, there was great enthusiasm for the whole game, obviously, we want to win but to do it today was extra special.”

Thornton shot 4-9 from the field in the first half and she led her team with nine points heading into the halftime break. Thornton had a warrior mindset throughout the game as she continuously attacked the Hurricanes’ defense.

“I just wanted to win,” Thornton said. “I feel like the will to win helped me do it. We all play for each other and once you put that name Quinnipiac on we play for that.”

Miami head coach Katie Meier knows that Quinnipiac is a deep team but she did not have the answers for Thornton.

“That kid was very special tonight and she’s not one of the top four kids you talk about the scouting report,” Meier said.

Thornton is roommates and close friends with fellow junior Brittany Martin who also had a great game for the Bobcats. The Bobcats love to see their teammates succeed and it was special for Thornton because her friend had a great game too.

“It was fun,” Thornton said on her and Martin both having good games. “We both played really well today. Just for us to be able to do it together and on the same day was really fun. She shouts for me and I shout for her.”

Mykea Gray of Miami drove into the paint but Thornton slid over to help and she drew a charge. It was the play that finally finished over Miami but it did come with some pain, as Gray’s right knee went into Thornton’s stomach which knocked the wind out of her.

Thornton and her teammates will now turn their attention to the top-seeded University of Connecticut Huskies on Monday night at 6:30 p.m.