Quinnipiac University
Iona
QU Women's Lacrosse Hosts Iona Wednesday Afternoon Looking for Second Straight MAAC Win
4/3/2018 11:15:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
AT QUINNIPIAC BOBCATS (5-5, 1-1 MAAC)
Date: Wednesday, April 4, 3 p.m.
Location: Quinnipiac Lacrosse Stadium - Hamden, Connecticut
Stats: QuinnipiacBobcats.com
Video: QuinnipiacBobcats.com
HAMDEN, Conn. - The Quinnipiac women's lacrosse team, fresh off an 11-6 win over Manhattan on Saturday, will try to improve to 2-1 in MAAC play when it entertains Iona on Wednesday afternoon for a 3 p.m. contest at Quinnipiac Lacrosse Stadium.
LAST TIME OUT (QUINNIPIAC 11, MANHATTAN 6)
Allison Kuhn had four goals and an assist and Brianna Fitzgerald had three goals and an assist to lead Quinnipiac to an 11-6 home win over Manhattan on Saturday. Kyle Larkin had 10 saves in goal for the Bobcats while allowing only six goals, including just two in the second half. With the score tied 4-4 late in the half, Kayla Moreau and Fitzgerald scored goals 10 seconds apart to give the Bobcats a 6-4 lead at the break and Quinnipiac was able to maintain its lead the rest of the way.
LAST YEAR vs. IONA (QUINNIPIAC 14, IONA 13 - OT)
Current junior Allison Kuhn whipped around the back of the cage, darted in front and blasted home the game-winning tally in overtime as Quinnipiac came from behind to defeat Iona, 14-13, last year in New Rochelle. Kuhn (three goals) also had the tying goal with just 37 seconds left in regulation to force the extra session and complete a comeback from a 12-9 deficit. Current sophomores Brianna Fitzgerald, Ashley Bobinski and Amy Hauser scored goals 5:20 apart to tie the score 12-12, and after Iona went back in front, Kuhn knotted the score 13-13 in the final minute. Fitzgerald also had three goals while graduated senior Alex Hlesciak led with four goals. Jenna Tolzmann had four goals to lead Iona.
KELLY AMONG BEST IN NATION
Heading into this week's play, senior defender Kiera Kelly ranks second in the nation in both ground balls per game (4.70) and caused turnovers per game (3.00). She is the only player in the country who ranks in the top 10 in both categories, and she places in the second spot in both. USC goalie Gussie Johns has the lead in ground balls with 5.17 and Binghamton's Jacqueline Kennedy is tops in the country in caused turnovers at 3.10.
KELLY EARNS MAAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF WEEK HONOR
Senior defender Kiera Kelly vaulted up the national statistical charts (see above) after an eight-ground ball, seven-caused turnover performance at Monmouth on March 24, which earned her the MAAC Defensive Player of the Week Award. She became the second MAAC weekly honoree of the season for the Bobcats, joining sophomore attack Ashley Bobinski (see below).
BOBINSKI NAMED MAAC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
After her nine-point performance in a March 17 win over Gardner-Webb, sophomore attack Ashley Bobinski earned the MAAC Offensive Player of the Week Award. Bobinski scored on all five of her shots and added four assists, surpassing her previous career high of eight points, which she set earlier this season against Saint Francis, Pa. (six goals, two assists). Bobinski leads the Bobcats with 36 points on 21 goals and 15 assists.
BOBCAT LEADERBOARD
Sophomore Ashley Bobinski leads the Bobcats in goals (21), assists (15) and points (36) to date. Junior attack Allison Kuhn is second in goals (18) and points (22), while freshman midfielder Avery Drouin is second with eight assists. Defensively, Kiera Kelly leads Quinnipiac in ground balls (47) and caused turnovers (30), while Drouin and Kuhn are tied for the team lead with 16 draw controls, followed by Fitzgerald and Kuhn with 14 apiece. Senior goalkeeper Kyle Larkin has 84 saves and a .519 save percentage in goal.
STRONG BUILDING BLOCKS
As a new head coach last season, Tanya Kotowicz was fortunate to have a couple of strong building blocks in her first recruiting class. Attack Ashley Bobinski and defender Haley Everding were both chosen to the MAAC All-Rookie Team in 2017 after emerging as starters in their first campaigns. Both have continued in their starting roles this season, with Bobinski leading the team in scoring and Everding playing alongside Kiera Kelly to anchor the Bobcat defense.
A LITTLE LESS DRAMA
So far this season, the Bobcats have been on the winning end of some convincing final scores, including an 18-9 win over Gardner-Webb on March 17. A year ago, Quinnipiac did not have much experience milking leads, as all four of their wins were by one goal, including a 10-9 win over Central Connecticut in Tanya Kotowicz' debut and a 14-13 overtime win at Iona.
NEXT UP
The Bobcats are home again on Saturday to take on Marist at 12 p.m. in a rematch of last season's MAAC Opening Round contest.
