The Sacred Heart Pioneers traveled to Hamden, Connecticut to take on the Quinnipiac Bobcats Saturday afternoon on their home turf. 

Looking to extend their winning streak to two, the Bobcats were determined to defeat the Pioneers, and they did just that. With the final score being 44-5, Quinnipiac stomped over Sacred Heart, adding a valuable win to its resume. 

The winning streak for the Bobcats extends to two while the losing streak for the Pioneers advances to three.

The Bobcats were dominant in the first half having a total of four tries and one conversion. Junior flanker Riva Van Der Valk had the first try of the day six-and-a-half minutes into the game. Although the conversion was unsuccessful, junior center Haley Crow scored another try two-and-a-half minutes later. This conversion was also unsuccessful. 

The Pioneers defense held up for about 11 minutes until junior fullback Kat Storey had an outstanding run on the left side of the field straight to the middle. Because of her effort to run to the middle, sophomore utility back Fodhla Ni Bhraonain had an easy chance at scoring a conversion and she did just that. The final try of the first half was scored by Ni Bhraonain, allowing for the first half to be a shutout for the Bobcats.

The second half of action was very similar to that of the first half with Quinnipiac dominating Sacred Heart. A minute-and-a-half into the first half, junior Grace Dagenais had an outstanding reception, nearly running the whole field’s length. This run allowed for Storey to score yet another try. Senior forward Libby Moser scored a try 10 minutes later, extending the Bobcats’ lead to 32-0.

It seemed like Storey and Ni Bhraonain experienced deja-vu with 17:41 remaining in the game. 

Just like in the first half, Storey ran down the side of the field and through the middle to score a try. Ni Bhraonain then had a successful conversion. 

The Pioneers did not want this match to end in a shutout and desperately needed to score. That is when first-year fullback Kaleigh Ahern scored a try, causing the score to become 39-5. 

However, Quinnipiac was not done yet. Sophomore forward Lily Cartwright scored a try to finish out the game. 

With eight tries and two conversions on the Bobcats’ end and one try on the Pioneers’ end, the final score of the game was 44-5 in favor of the Bobcats.

The key to the Bobcats’ victory was teamwork and the connection the team shares with each other. This connection is depicted through the number of players who contributed and scored on the field, and through the excitement portrayed from the sidelines.

“We have so much connection lately and we’re just finding each other in support,” Storey said. “It really comes from understanding we’re there for each other on and off the field.”

This connection is not only seen through the players’ eyes, but it is also seen through the eyes of their head coach, Becky Carlson. The one word she used to describe this game was ‘collective.’

“That would be the word,” Carlson said. “That’s what we went for today and I think we achieved that in a big way. It wasn’t just the forwards or the backs, in particular, it was us as a group together.”

This win allowed for the Bobcats to advance to 3-3 in both the conference and their overall record. The Bobcats look to extend their winning streak when they travel to Long Island University next Saturday, Oct. 22.