It was an eventful day for the Bobcats as Quinnipiac defeated the Siena Saints 3-0 in their final home game of the season.
Earlier this season, Siena hosted the Bobcats in New York, where Quinnipiac took the match three sets to one. Entering this game, Quinnipiac had a lot to lose. A win would guarantee the Bobcats a first-round bye in the MAAC Tournament on Nov. 17 and a win they would deliver.
Today’s matchup would also serve as Senior Day for the Bobcats, where the team honored captains Lexi Morse and Chloe Ka’ahanui in their final home games as undergraduate student-athletes at Quinnipiac.
Morse had an extra special day, besides it being Senior Day for the Bobcats, her family from Florida and Georgia made the road trip up to Hamden to watch her play, for the first time.
“It was really surreal,” Morse said. “They have been watching me every single game since my freshman year and they really haven’t been able to make it to any of like my club tournaments or like my high school games they were never really able to get to those… It just really meant a lot to me that they were able to come here and experience us winning at our house and having a great time.”
Ka’ahanui’s family also made an appearance at the Bobcat’s final home game
“Today is so special in itself, but just having them, you know, be here, it’s everything that I could have ever asked for,” Ka’ahanui said. “They bring, just, a sense of home with them.”
Coach Kyle Robinson also made sure to honor Siena’s seniors, Monet Latunde and Meghan Johnsson, a tradition that he’s carried on through multiple universities and attests that his unique tradition is “a really easy way to be kind” and “something everybody should be doing.”
The Bobcats got out to a quick start in their first set against the Saints. With Morse helping lead the Bobcats to a quick 15-5 lead, from here Quinnipiac never looked back, with a 25-20 first set win.
The Saints made their pushes, at one point limiting the Bobcat lead to 18-15 but after some adjustments by Robinson to find a way around the Saint’s strong blocking ability, the first set was all but over.
Roughly halfway through the first set, however, Burt Kahn Court erupted with cheer, excitement, and congratulation, as graduate student Aryanah Diaz recorded her 1000th collegiate kill. An achievement only done once before by a Quinnipiac athlete 21 years ago back in 2002. An achievement that made her a third honoree for the special day.
“Although it is the end of something, I’m just proud to have been a part of that journey with her and I’m really proud that she’s going to go on and do bigger and better things,” Robinson said.
Aryanah Diaz spoke on the special moment as well, saying “It’s a milestone that I didn’t really think that I would reach, just because I’ve played so many different positions, but to score here on a very special day for our seniors and then also being my last home game… it was really special.”
Entering the second set, Siena seemingly gained all the momentum back as they got off to a hot 15-11 lead threatening to take only the fifth set all season from the Bobcats at home. Yet, at about the halfway point of the set, the Bobcats through a series of strong kills were able to flip the momentum and go on an eight-point streak. The streak started with help from Alexandra Tennon, who had four kills in the span of 12 points. Quinnipiac wound up winning the second set 25-19.
At the beginning of the third set, the energy in Burt Kahn Court could only be described as electric. The senior’s families and fans were clearly excited to see their Bobcats get ready to attempt to clinch the third set.
With some devastating kills by Diaz and sophomore Ginevra Giovagnoni, the Bobcats were able to take home the third and final set 25-23. A set much different from the first two. The third set proved to be extremely back-and-forth, whereas the first two can only be classified as a match of runs.
Robinson now prepares for his team to take a short road trip at Rider and at Saint Peter’s that will lead them into the MAAC tournament. The Bobcats now hope to repeat as MAAC Champions and create another NCAA tournament berth.
Quinnipiac now sits at 17-8 on the season and 13-3 in conference play. Siena now drops to 2-25 overall and 2-15 in conference play as they play Marist on Nov. 11.
