The Quinnipiac field hockey team (2-2, 0-0 Big East) came out flat against Michigan State (2-2, 0-0 Big Ten) on Sunday afternoon, losing 2-0 at home. The Bobcats failed to generate a single shot on goal during the first half, and while they showed more effort in the second half, they could not convert when they needed to most.
“There was a 10-minute slow start out there in the beginning when we kind of sat back,” head coach Becca Main said. “We weren’t sure who we were playing. Then we realized we were playing Big Ten hockey, so we really had to adjust ourselves.”
Main is usually a patient coach, so it was a little uncharacteristic to see her call a timeout just 12 minutes into the game. Main thought that things improved from after the breather, though.
“We took that timeout, and then from that timeout on, we really regrouped, found our game plan, and did a nice job.”
Penalty corners would prove to be the deciding factor in a matchup that featured little offense. Michigan State was able to capitalize on two of those plays, thanks to goals by Aisha Osinga and Amanda Robinson. Isa Van der Weij quarterbacked the corner unit and tallied two assists to lead the Spartans.
Although Quinnipiac had a poor first half, the team ended up drawing seven penalty corner chances itself, the same number as Michigan State. However, freshman Spartans goalie Jade Arundell had all the answers, picking up her second career win and first shutout. Main bemoaned the missed opportunities after the game.
“It was a game of corners. We lost because of two nice corners, and we also lost because we couldn’t put four – that really should have gone in – in. Specialty situations really failed for us today… You can guess what we’re going to spend the next four days (working) on.”
The Bobcats lost eight seniors, their starting goalie and all three of their captains this offseason. The team’s inexperience undoubtedly played a role in the loss, but sometimes experience is the best teacher.
“Nobody is sitting around going, ‘Oh, wow! There’s a whole bunch of new kids and it looks OK!’” Main said. “We’re completely beyond that, completely onto a new level. … I don’t really call this a rebuilding year.”
Quinnipiac falls to 2-2 with the loss and will try to get back on track on Saturday, September 8 when the Maine Black Bears come to Hamden. The Black Bears are 3-0 this season and have beaten two nationally ranked schools, so it will be a good test for the Bobcats, who have yet to pick up a home win.
