The Quinnipiac Bobcats (4-10, 1-5 Big East) look to break out of the rut they have been stuck in when they travel to New Haven to take on the Sacred Heart Pioneers (8-8, 2-2 MAAC) on Sunday at 5 p.m. Quinnipiac has not won a game since September 21 and have been eliminated from playoff contention, while the Pioneers are coming off a 6-3 win over LIU Brooklyn, which clinched them a berth in the MAAC tournament.
Players to watch
Quinnipiac: Hannah Teicher and Elisa Van Winkel
It’s no secret that the 2018 season has not been Teicher’s best, and part of that is due to a lackluster defense. But, the senior from Bethesda, Maryland needs to try and rally the troops for the final few games of the season. Teicher is posting a career low .587 save percentage while freshman Alicia Galasso has stopped 64.1 percent of shots in limited minutes. Teicher did have a season high 9 saves against No. 23 Old Dominion on Friday and will look to feed off that performance against Sacred Heart.
On the offensive side for the Bobcats, freshman Elisa Van Winkel has been the bright spot, posting four goals and two assists. She, along with fellow freshman Makayla Adams, look to be the future of the field hockey team for years to come.
Sacred Heart: Colleen McAninley and Kelsey Hopkins
A junior out of Sewell, New Jersey, Colleen McAninley has been one of the most important players on this Pioneers team. She is tied for the team lead along with Kelsey Hopkins with 7 goals and 3 assists. Hopkins, also a junior, has tallied her 7 goals despite missing 4 games in the middle of the season. She is coming off a hat-trick performance in the Pioneers win over LIU Brooklyn. It will be tough for the Bobcats to contain this dynamic duo and could lead to a high scoring game for Scared Heart.
Keys to the game:
Quinnipiac: Communicate on Defense; No Turnovers, and pressure when on offense
Quinnipiac has nothing to lose since they are no longer in contention for playoffs, and can play an aggressive game. It will be important for Quinnipiac to isolate McAninley and Hopkins from the ball and it is equally important that Quinnipiac be able to counter any offensive attack with Van Winkle and Adams. Communication on defense will help make sure the offensive duo will stay away from the play. If the Bobcats can capitalize on Pioneer mistakes, they have a good chance to pull off an upset.
Sacred Heart: Keep a fast pace: Play to your strengths, and keep the ball on Quinnipiac’s side of the field
For Sacred Heart, it is important that they play a strong offensive game. If they get lazy, Quinnipiac will be able to take control of the game. If Scared Heart can play to their strengths, they will likely walk away victorious.
The Game
Make sure to tune in to QBSN’s live broadcast of Quinnipiac vs. Old Dominion from the
Quinnipiac Field Hockey Stadium in Hamden, Connecticut. Jon Surratt and Jack Main will
be on the call of the game. For live updates throughout the game, make sure to follow @QBSN
on twitter.
