Black Bears put Bobcats to sleep in overtime; win 3-2
By Giovanni Mio, QBSN Staff Writer
The Quinnipiac Bobcats Field Hockey team lost to nationally ranked Maine in overtime 3-2 in Hamden.
The Bobcats (6-3) came into this game after winning at Columbia 3-1 on Wednesday. The Maine Black Bears came into the game ranked 14th in the national polls. The first half was all about defense, as neither team scored a goal. Throughout the first half, Quinnipiac focused on defense, only taking three shots. Maine, on the other hand kept on attacking the Bobcats, ending the half with twelve shots and eight penalty corners. Maine also dominated Quinnipiac on scoring opportunities. Bobcats’ senior goalie Nicole Lewis (East Amherst, N.Y.) had 10 saves.
“We’ve been struggling and have been working on our defense,” said Bobcats head coach Becca Main Kohli. “Our number one individual goal today was defense.”
Quinnipiac started off the second half with a surprise attack. Two minutes in the Bobcats missed a golden opportunity to score the first goal. The Bobcats took advantage of their next opportunity when senior Kaitlyn Notarianni (Clarks Summit, Pa.) gave the Bobcats a 1-0 with 26 minutes to go.
The Maine Black Bears wouldn’t give up; with a fierce attack the Black Bears continued to get corners and force penalties from the Bobcats. Ten minutes after Notarianni’s goal, Maine senior Stephanie Gardiner deflected a shot off Nicole Lewis to tie the game 1-1. Not even four minutes after Gardiners goal, Black Bears sophomore Alexa Binnendijk scored, giving Maine a 2-1 lead with 13 minutes left in the game.
The game seemed like it was over, but the Bobcats senior Ashley Gradwell scored the tying goal with two minutes left. At the end of regulation, the game was tied, forcing overtime.
“Like they say, ‘Defense wins games’ and I think you kinda saw that today to get into overtime,” said Kohli.
Entering overtime, Maine had outshot Quinnipiac 22-6. Quinnipiac came up strong playing good defense, but Black Bears senior Kelly Newton scored the game-winning goal off a rebound save by Nicole Lewis.
“Honestly, I’d never expect to have 20 saves in my life,” said Lewis, “We just have to take this one step at a time… I think we’re going to bring this momentum into the next game and really use our firepower to get ahead early.”
The Bobcats will travel to Easton, Pa. next weekend to face Lafayette on Sunday October 2nd at 2:00pm.
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