The Quinnipiac women’s lacrosse team hosted Sacred Heart on Saturday afternoon and fell in a close 14-11 battle. This marks their fourth consecutive loss and second straight defeat in MAAC play. The game also served as Senior Day, honoring eight Bobcat seniors.
Senior Lindsay Mazzucco earned her first start of the season in goal, recording a season-high four saves. She was later subbed out for freshman goalkeeper Shannon Alden, who played 28 minutes, allowing nine goals while making one save—her lowest total of the season. Mazzucco returned to finish the game, playing a total of 31 minutes.
“She did a really good job in the start today, and she did a good job coming back in, too. It’s weird for a goalie to do that, so I thought she did well,” said head coach Jordan Christopher.
The Bobcats opened strong with a 3-0 run, featuring goals from Abby Wise, Mia Delmond, and EllaGrace Delmond, with Wise also contributing an assist. Sacred Heart responded quickly, scoring just one minute after Quinnipiac’s third goal to cut the deficit to 3-1. The Pioneers added another goal with three minutes left in the first quarter. Wise also reached a milestone, recording her 100th career point.
Quinnipiac closed out the first quarter with another 3-0 run to take a 6-2 lead. Katherine Meeks scored off an assist from Cate Bendowski, followed by Bendowski netting a goal of her own off a pass from Wise. Wise then found the back of the net again, extending the Bobcats’ lead to four.
Sacred Heart opened the second quarter with a goal, cutting the lead to three, but Wise responded with a man-up goal to put Quinnipiac ahead 7-4. That, however, was the Bobcats’ only goal of the quarter, as Sacred Heart went on a 4-0 run to tie the game at 7-7.
“We were pretty hyped up because of Senior Day, so that gave us a lot of good energy. We’re talking a lot about mentality right now and how just because you trade in a lead doesn’t mean it’s always going to stay there—you have to keep pushing. A ‘foot on the gas’ kind of mentality is something we’re working on,” said Christopher.
Again, the Bobcats managed just one goal coming out of halftime, this time from Peyton Choma—her first of the season—two minutes into the third quarter to regain an 8-7 lead. But the Pioneers didn’t let up, scoring three goals in the third and two more in the fourth while holding Quinnipiac scoreless, taking a 12-8 lead.
Quinnipiac fought back, as EllaGrace Delmond and Choma each found the back of the net to cut the deficit to 12-10. However, Sacred Heart responded with another goal to push its lead back to three. Delmond scored again for the Bobcats, but it wasn’t enough, as the Pioneers sealed the game with a final goal in the last minute, securing the 14-11 win.
Wise led the Bobcats with seven total shots, finishing with three goals and two assists. Delmond also recorded a hat trick, scoring three goals on four shots, all of which were on target. Freshman Peyton Choma tallied her first two collegiate goals against SHU.
Quinnipiac returns to action on April 2 in a highly anticipated rivalry matchup on the road against Fairfield, with faceoff set for 3 p.m.
