Last Second Heroics Lead Bobcats Past Harvard

Last Second Heroics Lead Bobcats Past Harvard
By Marty Joseph, QBSN Staff Writer

       The Quinnipiac field hockey team defeated Harvard, 4-3, in a thrilling non-conference game Sunday at the Quinnipiac Field Hockey & Lacrosse Turf Complex in Hamden, CT.

        The game was full of back and forth opportunities for both teams, strong play on both offensive and defensive ends, and solid goalkeeping. The game wasn’t decided until the final seconds of regulation as the teams were very evenly matched.

        Kim Cunniff (Walpole, Mass) got the Bobcats on the board just 4:44 into the contest, converting on a corner opportunity after being set up by Megan McCreedy (White River, South Africa) and Kaitlyn Notarianni (Clarks Summit, PA). McCreedy was then later set up by Cunniff in the 24^th minute of play, when she flipped a shot into the cage to put the Bobcats up 2-0. Harvard kept its composure and was able to tie the game at 2-2 before the half. Kyleigh Keating (Windham, NH) and Noell Painter (Los Gatos, Calif.) scored just 29 seconds apart to completely change the complexion of the game before halftime, setting up an exciting finish to the game.

        The Bobcats came out and completely shutdown the Crimson by playing suffocating defense for the first 25 minutes of the second half, as Harvard was barely able to put any offensive pressure on Nicole Lewis (East Amherst, NY). Jess Rusin (Garwood, NJ) gave the Bobcats the lead, 3-2, after a great individual effort. She got possession of the ball and patiently outwaited the sprawling Cynthia Tassopoulos (Dallas, Texas). and flipped it up in to the goal. Harvard was finally able to break through Quinnipiac’s defense as Keating scored her second goal of the game off a pass from Katelin Wahl (Chester, NH) to knot the game up at 3-3.

        Harvard threatened to take the lead in the final three minutes of the game, as they were awarded with two corner opportunities; but a key save on the first corner, and a strong defensive play to force the ball wide in the second one kept the game tied. The game seemed to be heading for overtime when Maria Malonoski (Phoenixville, Pa) hit Amanda Danziger (Smithtown, NY) with a perfect pass up field. Danziger was behind the defense and with stood the challenge from Tassopoulos to flip a shot around the goalkeeper and into the cage with only 5 seconds remaining in the game. Nobody saw Danziger in front of the cage besides Malonoski, and the execution of the play could not have been any better. The final 5 seconds ticked off the clock with the Bobcats celebrating and Harvard in disbelief.

       The win improved the Bobcats record 4-0 at home and 5-2 overall as they start a tough stretch with three of they’re next four games coming on the road. Quinnipiac’s next game is on Wednesday when it travels to Columbia for a non-conference match-up at 6:30 p.m. The next Bobcats home game is next Sunday, September 25^th when they host Maine at 1 p.m. in Hamden, CT.