It’s been a tale of two teams for the Quinnipiac women’s basketball program this season. There have been the lows of a 1-6 start, paired with the highs of winning seven of its last 10 games coming into Saturday’s matinee against Niagara.

The Bobcats team on the floor Saturday was the one that fans have been accustomed to seeing the past three seasons in Hamden. Quinnipiac never trailed and had a lead as high as 17 points on its way to a 71-61 victory on Senior Day.

“It’s a great day to be a Bobcat,” head coach Tricia Fabbri said following the win. “It was great to give the seniors a very special day and a special win.”

Those seniors — Taylor Herd, Paige Warfel, and Jaden Ward — all contributed to the win. Herd led all scorers with 17 points. Warfel pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds, while Ward added five points and grabbed two steals on defense.

Though those three are regularly found stuffing the stat sheet, Fabbri said the challenges this class has faced this season is what makes them stand out.

“We’re right in the mix for a top seed. That’s a testament to those seniors,” Fabbri said. “They’ve had more responsibility, more leadership and have had to grow up faster with this new team.”

Warfel was emotional while talking about this year’s team and why the group is so special.

“In the previous three years we were expected to win,” Warfel said. “I feel the passion more this year because we have to work that much harder to win.”

When asked what senior day meant to her, Herd said that it was a chance for her to look back at the history this class has made. That history, of course, includes three straight MAAC championships and three NCAA tournament wins.

Herd has played a lot of different roles during her four years in Hamden, but she has always prided herself on being a team-first player.

“I’m happy to play a supporting role if that means another championship,” Herd said. “That’s what it was in the past, but this year my role is different because it’s what the team needs.”

Quinnipiac may not be the dominating force that it has been in year’s past, but make no mistake about it, this team is still hungry.

With Quinnipiac’s win and a Fairfield loss to Iona, the Bobcats find themselves tied for third place in the MAAC with six games remaining.

A win like this certainly helps with Quinnipiac’s confidence, as it can now prepare for two big games next week against Rider and Fairfield.

“We’re not poetry in motion,” Fabbri said. “But we are resilient, we’re facing the adversity and we’re answering the right way. I’d take the battle-tested team any day.”