Quinnipiac head coach Nina Klein took on her alma mater, the University of Connecticut (UConn) Huskies, and tried to get back on the winning side of this match-up. Since 2002, the Bobcats are 0-19 in games against the Huskies.
Quinnipiac entered today’s Halloween matchup at 2-3 in conference play, and a win from them, alongside a loss from Villanova, would allow them to make their first Big East tournament in program history since joining the conference in 2016. UConn, having already clinched a spot in the tournament entered today 5-1.
Early in the first half, both teams would alternate looks, but no real chances would come for either team until late. The Bobcats got the first shot on net of the game at 1:57 left in the first quarter, with Mo Quaile dribbling past the Husky defense, straight to the front of the net, and then snapping a shot off a UConn defender that deflected straight in.
“Setting the tone early and scoring first was fantastic,” Head coach Nina Klein said. “Just super proud of our group.”
The second shot of the game would come just over five minutes into the second quarter. This shot attempt would come from UConn’s Juana Garcia, sending it in the air for Lene Bujes, who deflected it downward past Quinnipiac’s goalkeeper, Cristina Torres to the game at one all.
The Bobcats had a chance to retaliate with a penalty corner. A pass from Cam Brower sent out for Katie Shanahan bounced over her stick, and sent the Huskies on offense. Quinnipiac would fight to regain possession, and would be able to do so, stopping a threatening attempt from UConn.
Quinnipiac would get another chance later in the quarter with a penalty corner as Francisca Eschoyez sent a pass to Lucia Donati but the shot hit the body of a UConn defender, leading to another penalty corner. The ball was then sent to Eschoyez, where she quickly ripped a shot that deflected off a Huskies defender, and into the net to put the Bobcats back in front at the end of the first half.
Just over halfway through the third quarter, UConn had a chance to tie things up with a corner, but the shot from Abby Davidson was blocked by the stick of Quaile, giving Quinnipiac the opportunity to regain possession.
Closing in on the end of the third quarter, Torres would be tested with a series of shots from the Huskies offense. The first shot would come from outside the scoring arc, and would be rebounded to Pien Prins, a couple of feet away from Torres, and Prins’ shot would be stopped by the left hand of Torres, sending the ball away from the net. This will close the third quarter, with Quinnipiac leading UConn 2-1.
UConn would start the fourth quarter hot, earning a corner 30 seconds into the quarter. After earning another corner following the first one, a shot from UConn’s Prins would send a shot past Torres, tying the game at two.
The Huskies continued to put pressure on the Bobcats defense, and a few minutes later, Davidson would be found near the post, allowing the Huskies to score on back to back corners and giving UConn its first lead of the day at 3-2.
“I think we just got a little lax in our defensive zone,” Klein said “The first thing on our scouting report was, limit attacking corners from UConn.”
The Bobcats would struggle to maintain possession in the fourth quarter, as the Huskies kept applying pressure, drawing multiple corners in quick succession. Quinnipiac would stop all the penalty corner attempts, and in a fight to tie the game, they would elect to pull Torres from the net with over six minutes remaining. The Huskies would gain possession, and put a couple shots that would be blocked by the Bobcats defense, but a final shot from Olivia McKenna would seal the deal for UConn, and ultimately end the season for Quinnipiac.
After the game, Klein reflected on facing her alma mater. “It’s always a fight. There’s always a lot of passion,” she said. “I definitely respect that team. After a win like that, I think they’re going to be in contention for a Big East Championship.”
