Fairfield junior Elizabeth Talluto’s career-high seven goals led the Stags to a 19-9 win against the Quinnipiac Bobcats on Wednesday, improving to 3-0 in conference play.

Talluto’s previous career-high was five goals, which came in the team’s first game of the year against Holy Cross. Against Quinnipiac on Wednesday, Talluto was involved in almost every play, weaving through defenders and putting shots right past Bobcats goalie Kat Henselder. She made seven of her eight shot attempts, and was even out-scoring the Bobcats after picking up her sixth of the afternoon with 13:32 left in the second quarter.

That goal made it 12-5 Fairfield, and the Stags got the big lead because of their fast start to the game. They scored two goals in the first three minutes of play and another two shortly after to take a 4-0 lead. Talluto scored four goals in the opening quarter, and attack Libby Rowe scored three goals – to combine for all of Fairfield’s seven first-quarter goals.

A 10-5 Stags halftime lead turned into 12-5 after a goal 12 seconds into the quarter by senior Ellie Grefenstette and Talluto’s sixth of the game.

Then, the Bobcats got momentum going for the first time all game. Quinnipiac scored three straight goals, two of which were free-position goals. Free-position goals have been huge for Quinnipiac all year, as the team has made 33 of the goals in 70 attempts. Bobcat opponents have only scored 25 free-position goals. The offense was very much aided by the six free-position shot attempts on Wednesday. But so was Fairfield’s.

The Stags also had six free-position shot attempts and their offense dominated the Bobcats defense, much to the help of penalties and Talluto. She scored number seven shortly after the Bobcats scored three consecutive goals, ending their rally and making it a 13-8 game. Three more goals for the Stags into the fourth quarter, and soon enough the game was out of reach for Quinnipiac.

Fairfield scored six goals in the fourth quarter and won 19-9, staying perfect through three MAAC games played. 

Fairfield has now beaten Quinnipiac in all 13 games the two teams have played, which is since 2010. 

The Stags look to stay undefeated in conference play when they play at Siena on Saturday, April 9.

As for the Bobcats, they fell to 1-2 in conference play. They play at Manhattan on Saturday at 2 p.m. where they’ll aim to get back to .500.