The Quinnipiac women’s basketball team secured a 73-56 home opener victory over Harvard, getting revenge for last season’s tough 85-41 loss in Cambridge. Senior guard Jackie Grisdale, who played only eight games last season due to injury, made a triumphant return scoring a career-high 33 points in the win.
The game started with Quinnipiac facing pressure, as Harvard’s full-court press disrupted the Bobcats’ offense. Harvard forced eight turnovers, went on a 9-0 run and limited Quinnipiac to eight points in the first quarter.
“We’ve been preparing for that,” said first-year guard Gal Raviv. “Our coaching staff prepared us the whole week, and we practiced, competed with each other, getting each other better. We knew what they were coming in with, and we adjusted, focusing on what we were going to do.”
The Bobcats turned the tide in the second quarter, holding Harvard to just seven points and going on a 12-0 run fueled by Grisdale’s three-pointers. Quinnipiac’s defense kept Harvard in check while their offense began to find its rhythm.
Sophomore forward Anna Foley quarterbacked the offense with seven rebounds and seven assists, contributing nine points.
“Anna sees the court like nobody else,” said Grisdale.
Head coach Tricia Fabbri also highlighted graduate forward Caranda Perea’s game, as she added eight points off the bench.
“We’ve been seeing her get more comfortable, and I was really pleased with her defensively, rebounding, and still facilitating offensively,” Fabbri said about Perea. “Her minutes were exceptional tonight.”
Quinnipiac’s defense intensified in the second half, highlighted by a 17-1 run in the third quarter and a 7-0 burst to close it. The Bobcats capitalized on Harvard’s foul trouble, going 21-25 from the free-throw line.
Harvard senior guard Harmoni Turner was tightly defended by Grisdale, who played 40 minutes alongside Raviv. Grisdale’s scoring performance was paired with her strong defense, earning praise from Fabbri.
“It was a historic performance that you all watched from behind the arc, but what you don’t really pay attention to is the defense she played,” she said.
Quinnipiac trailed 13-8 after the first quarter but never looked back following their dominant second-quarter surge. Grisdale’s emotional return and the team’s cohesive effort set the tone for what promises to be an exciting season. “I almost cried after the game out of happiness,” Grisdale shared. “It just means so much to be back out here playing again with these girls by my side.”
The Bobcats’ next test will be on Saturday, November 16, at 2:00 p.m., when they host Princeton, who’s ranked No. 1 in the Ivy League preseason poll.
