October 31, 2010

Photos of QU vs. FDU

HAMDEN, Conn. - The Quinnipiac women's soccer team clinched a spot in the 2010 Northeast Conference Tournament with a 6-0 shutout against Fairleigh Dickinson on Oct. 31 at the Quinnipiac Soccer Field. With the win, the Bobcats improve to 7-7-3 on the season and 5-2-3 in conference play, while the Knights drop to 2-16 overall and 2-8 in the NEC.

The Bobcats scored its six goals, from six different Quinnipiac players. Five of which, were scored in the first 45 minutes of play. The six goal total is the third highest in Quinnipiac Division I history and is the most goals since the Bobcats scored six against NJIT on Sept. 21, 2008.

"We couldn't have scripted it any better," said Head Coach Dave Clarke. "You look at how we played, how we started the game, and the manner in which the goals came about and it's almost like a coach's dream."

Quinnipiac took hold of the momentum as Shauna Edwards (Southington, Conn.) scored in the third minute of play. Furtuna Velaj (Stamford, Conn.) passed the ball into the box, off of a short corner kick by Aine McKeever, (Derry City, Ireland) to find Edwards who shot into the left side of the net. Velaj scored her seventh goal of the season in the 5^th minute of play off of another corner kick by McKeever.

Sophomore midfielder Jillian Strassner (Avon, Conn.) scored her fifth goal of the season in the 8^th minute of play. Senior defender Kyla Miles (Newtown, Conn.) took a free kick from half field to find Strassner who blasted a shot through FDU goalkeeper Stephanie Tanzi's outstretched hands.

In the 20^th minute of play, McKeever bent the ball off of a corner kick into the upper-right corner of the net for the Bobcats' fourth goal.

Senior Lauren Peacock (Hopedale, Mass.) compiled her second goal of the season in the 33^rd minute of play. The goal was assisted by Edwards, who passed the ball through FDU defenders to find Peacock for the shot into the lower-left corner.

The last goal of the game was scored in the 64^th minute of play by junior Kristina Del Mistro (East Williston, N.Y.). McKeever flicked the ball to Del Mistro who dribbled into the box and blasted a shot above the keeper's head.

Quinnipiac goalkeeper Jillian Kelley (Simsbury, Conn.) made six saves in her sixth shutout this fall, while Stephanie Tanzi made five saves for Fairleigh Dickinson.

"We've been playing well over the last three or four weeks," said Clarke. "We're peaking at the right time and we're coming together at the right time, so I can't really ask for more."

The Bobcats will face Saint Francis (Pa.) in the semi-finals of the Northeast Conference Tournament, hosted by NEC regular season champion Long Island University, on Friday, Nov. 5.