Following a heartbreaking overtime loss to Manhattan on Wednesday night, the Quinnipiac women’s basketball team beat the Rider Broncs 71-49 on Saturday to clinch the No. 2 seed in the MAAC Tournament. 

The first quarter was dominated by Quinnipiac. Three-point shots from Amani Free and Rider’s Jessika Schiffer started off the game. The Broncs could not find the net or stop Sajada Bonner who finished the first quarter with 8 points. Quinnipiac’s 75% field goal percentage in this quarter was no match for Rider, finishing the quarter with a 21-8 lead. 

Rider evened up the scoring in the second quarter with 11 points, but not enough to catch the Bobcats. Rider forward Raphaela Toussaint led the second quarter scoring with help from teammates Makalya Firebaugh and Emily Strunk. Strunk scored her first three-point shot of the season in the quarter. Quinnipiac’s Rose Caverly and Free struggled with some foul trouble but not enough to give Rider an edge. 

The Bobcats led at the half, 37-19. Rider’s Lenaejha Evans finished the game with a team-high 16 points, but not enough to give her team a lead over the Bobcats. Quinnipiac senior Mackenzie DeWees had yet another double-double game, with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Both Bonner and Mikala Morris contributed 10 points each. The Bobcats showed their depth this afternoon, with the bench scoring 23 points. The team finished with a field goal percentage of 41.9% and free throw percentage of 93.3%. Finishing the season strong at home, 14-6 in MAAC play and 19-10 overall, is the momentum they need as they enter the MAAC Tournament as the No. 2 seed. 

Coach Tricia Fabbri expressed how important Saturday’s win was for her team heading into the tournament later this week. If the Bobcats win on Wednesday, they get a day off on Thursday. 

“The 1 and 2 seed get that schedule, (while) the 3 would play Thursday, Friday, Saturday,” Fabbri said. “That day of rest in between is extremely important.”  

DeWees spoke about how the Bobcats got their revenge, as Rider eliminated them in the 2021 MAAC Tournament.  

“(Rider) ended our season last year, but we are also a different team and so are they,” DeWees said. “We all bring different styles to the game so last year was the past and now we just keep moving forward.”  

Bonner, who ended the game with 10 points and three rebounds, is excited for the tournament to start. 

“It’s what you play a whole season, for this tournament, and we are just going to take it one play at a time and one game at a time and support each other throughout the game,” Bonner said. 

The Bobcats will look to begin their road to a fifth MAAC championship when the tournament begins March 8 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Their opponent will be determined after all regular season play is completed.