Women's Soccer Faces Lehigh In Home Opener On Friday, Sept. 16 At 4 PM
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Friday, Sept. 16, 2011 – 4 p.m.
Quinnipiac University vs. Lehigh University
Quinnipiac Soccer Field – Hamden, Conn.
Sunday, Sept. 18, 2011 – 1 p.m.
Quinnipiac University vs. College of the Holy Cross
Quinnipiac Soccer Field – Hamden, Conn.
Bobcats Play Home Opener On
Friday
The Quinnipiac women’s soccer team plays its home
opener against Lehigh University on Friday, Sept. 16 at 4 p.m. at
the Quinnipiac Soccer Field in Hamden, Conn. The Bobcats will then
host College of the Holy Cross on Sunday, Sept. 18 at 1 p.m. The
Bobcats enter the weekend at 0-3-1 after a 2-0 loss at Yale on
Tuesday night.
Multimedia
Live stats and audio will be available and can be accessed
by visiting the Official Website of Quinnipiac Athletics, www.QuinnipiacBobcats.com.
Scouting Lehigh
Lehigh enters Friday’s non-conference game at 1-2-1
on the year. The Mountain Hawks tied Seton Hall, 1-1, in its season
opener and then defeated Binghamton, 1-0, for their only win of the
season on Sept. 2. Following the victory, Lehigh went on to lose
two consecutive games against Monmouth, 2-1, and Marist, 2-1.
Isabelle Li currently leads the team with four points and two
goals, while Leah Kulp and Hannah Cochran have each scored a goal
this season. Last year, the Mountain Hawks won their first-ever
Patriot League Championship, under the leadership of head coach
Eric Lambinus, who enters his second season with the team.
All-Time Against The Mountain
Hawks
Friday’s match-up marks the seventh all-time meeting
with the Mountain Hawks. Lehigh currently leads the all-time series
with Quinnipiac, 6-0. Last year, the Bobcats fell, 3-2, on the road
at Lehigh.
Scouting Holy Cross
After three straight losses against Hartford, Providence
and Maine, the Crusaders picked up their first win of the year
against Central Connecticut State, 2-0. The team then fell, 1-0, at
Fairfield on Sept. 11. In their most recent outing, the Crusaders
shut out Bryant, 1-0, to improve their overall record to 2-4-0.
Freshman midfielder Gina Righini scored the game-winning goal in
the final minute of play off a pass from senior Lauren Wright.
Crusaders’ keeper Carly McCabe collected eight saves in the
match.
All-Time Against Holy Cross
The Bobcats lead the all-time series with Holy Cross, 5-4.
Quinnipiac also holds an all-time record of 4-1 at home and is 1-3
on the road against the Crusaders.
Last Time Out
In their most recent outing, the Bobcats lost, 2-0, at
intrastate foe Yale University. Despite the defeat, Quinnipiac had
a solid performance. “It was probably the first time in the
13 years we’ve come to Yale that we really gave them a
game,” said head coach Dave Clarke. Quinnipiac goalie Jill
Kelley had a tremendous game as she made six big stops in net.
Leading Ladies
Quinnipiac senior Furtuna Velaj currently leads the
Bobcats with four points and two goals, while junior Shauna Edwards
has tallied one assist on the year.
Leave It To Lavoie
Jess Lavoie is the only freshman to start in each of the
Bobcats’ games this year. The rookie midfielder is one of
five Bobcats to start in each of Quinnipiac’s four games.
ESPN.com Features Furtuna
Last week, senior Furtuna Velaj was recognized in an
article written by ESPN.com’s Graham Hays. The article
features the Santa Clara University starting goalkeeper and 10 NCAA
Division I women’s soccer players, whom hays feels will have
a great potential to make an impact this season. Last year, Hays
also wrote a feature, “From refugee to soccer star,” on
Velaj’s journey from her native Kosovo to the United States,
as well as her future aspirations in political science following
her collegiate career. To access the article, “Santa
Clara’s Henninger has no equal,” please click here.
Tough Competition
Prior to Hartford, the Bobcats lost to Hartford and Siena,
1-0, on the road. Despite the losses, the Bobcats put together 15
shots between the two games, while goalie Jill Kelley made eight
saves combined.
Season Opener
Quinnipiac tied Canisius, 2-2, after 110 minutes of play,
in its season opener on Friday, Sept. 2. Senior Furtuna Velaj led
the Bobcats as she scored each of their two goals. Junior Shauna
Edwards helped create both opportunities and was awarded an assist
on Velaj’s first goal of the game. The assist gave
Edwards’ her 10th career point and fourth career
assist. In addition, Jill Kelley kept the Bobcats alive with six
stops in net.
Good Fortune
Senior Furtuna Velaj was recently named a top potential
draft pick by www.AllWhiteKit.com. The
women’s soccer site also name Velaj as one of the top
collegiate forwards in the country
NEC Preseason Coaches’
Poll
The Quinnipiac University women’s soccer team was
picked to finish fifth out of 11 teams, in the 2011 Northeast
Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The Bobcats finished last
season 7-7-4 overall and at 5-2-3 in conference play, which secured
a spot for the Quinnipiac in the 2010 NEC Tournament.
Northeast Conference 2011 Women's Soccer Preseason
Coaches’ Poll
1. Saint Francis (PA) (8)
2. Monmouth (2)
3. Long Island
4. Central Connecticut St. (1)
5. Quinnipiac
6. Sacred Heart
7. Bryant
8. Robert Morris
9. Wagner
10. Mount Saint Mary’s
11. Fairleigh Dickinson
First place votes in parentheses ( ).
What’s Ahead for the Bobcats
After this weekend’s home games, Quinnipiac will
play its first Northeast Conference games of the year at Sacred
Heart on Sept. 23 and Fairleigh Dickinson on Sept. 30.
Quinnipiac kicks off October with four-straight contests at the Quinnipiac Soccer Field, including games against Robert Morris on Oct. 8, Saint Francis (Pa.) on Oct. 9, Long Island on Oct. 14, and Wagner on Oct. 16. The team will then make trips to Monmouth on Oct. 21, Mount St. Mary’s on Oct. 23 and Central Connecticut State on Oct. 28, before hosing Bryant on Oct. 30 for the final game of the regular season.