The Bobcats entered Friday’s home matchup against the Villanova Wildcats sitting at 8-5 and riding a three-game win streak,one shy of their longest since 2013. The team entered the contest looking to break that record, and they were able to do just that.
At the heart of Quinnipiac’s surge is senior goalkeeper Cristina Torres, who recorded her second straight shutout, and fifth of the season. in what has become a truly historic campaign. Facing relentless offensive pressure from Villanova, Torres turned away every challenge the Wildcats threw her way, anchoring a defensive unit that refused to crack despite 16 shots and 11 penalty corners.
After a scoreless first half, senior forward Cameron Brower got the scoring started in Hamden with her first goal of the season, coming over 32 minutes into the match. After a scrum in front of the Villanova goal that saw Brower fire off three separate shots, she was able to sneak one through the legs of Villanova freshman goalkeeper Sophie Volkel to get the Bobcats on the board.
The energy from that goal carried directly into the next phase of play. Just six minutes later, sophomore midfielder Francisca Eschoyez doubled the Bobcats’ lead with a stunning display of skill. Eschoyez received a pass on the left side of the circle, wound up, and blasted a backhand shot over Volkel’s outstretched arms and into the net. The goal was her 10th of the season which set a new career high and underscored the offensive evolution that has powered Quinnipiac’s recent run.
Head Coach Nina Klein had nothing but admiration for her senior leader, calling Torres’ performance the best of her career. “She’s playing the best hockey that she’s played here,” Klein said. Klein was nearly at a loss for words after the victory, saying she was “speechless” and simply “trying to take in the moment.”
While Eschoyez and Brower provided the offensive spark, Torres continued to command the defensive end with authority. The senior keeper made several crucial stops in the closing minutes to preserve the clean sheet, including a flurry of saves off late penalty corners that kept the Wildcats from finding any momentum.
Three more saves from Torres in this match means that she has now saved the last 12 shots that she has faced, and 15 of the last 16. This remarkable stretch of dominance earned her Big East Defensive Player of the Week last week as the Bobcats defeated Providence and Lafayette and she may be well on her way to defending her title.
Through 14 games, she is allowing just 1.25 goals per game, a figure that puts her on pace to break the program’s all-time mark of 1.35 GAA, set in 1995 by Amy Leddy. It’s fair to say that this season has been nothing short of historic for Cristina Torres.
The team’s stretch of dominance can be somewhat attributed to the chemistry the team has found off the field. “We got so much better,” Eschoyez said, “We had the technique, we had the skills, we weren’t trusting each other as much as we are right now and that got so much better.” That trust has translated directly into results.
As the playoffs inch closer by the day, the Bobcats have a long way to go before a potential Big East tournament bid. However, Quinnipiac is undeniably playing its best Field Hockey in years, and that is cause for “pure elation” as Coach Klein put it.
The Bobcats will go for their 5th consecutive win and 10th of the season on Oct. 19 at home against Northeastern. The game is set for 1 pm, with Senior Day festivities slated to begin at 12:30.
