GAME 18: Saint Peter's (1-16-0, 1-7-0 MAAC)
at Quinnipiac (2-12-1, 1-6-1 MAAC)
WHEN: Sat, Oct. 25, 2014, 1 p.m.
WHERE: Quinnipiac Soccer Field, Hamden, Conn.
SERIES INFORMATION: Quinnipiac leads 5-0-0
LAST MEETING: Quinnipiac 3, Saint Peter's 0 (9-21-13)
FIRST MEETING: Quinnipiac 2, Saint Peter's 1 (9-19-04)
SERIES STREAK: Quinnipiac won 5
LAST SAINT PETER'S WIN: N/A
opening pitch… Saturday's match between Saint Peter's and Quinnipiac marks the sixth meeting in the all-time series dating back to 2004 season. The Bobcats have won all five matchups in the series, including a 3-0 decision last season in Jersey City in the first league meeting between the two teams.
the word on the bobcats... Quinnipiac comes into the match 2-12-1 overall and 1-6-1 in league play after falling 1-0 at Manhattan on Wednesday. Jessica Fontaine leads the team with three goals and two assists for seven points. Amanda Barroca is second on the team with two tallies for four points while Kelly Caruso also has four points thanks to a goal and two assists for four points. Natalia Grodzski has 67 saves, a 1.66 goals against average and a .736 save percentage.
last time we met… Quinnipiac defeated Saint Peter's 3-0 on Sept. 21, 2014. Molly O'Halloran made four saves for the Peacocks in the loss. Jessica Fontaine paced the Bobcats registered a goal and two assists for the Bobcats while Beck Kiting and Kelly Caruso also found the back of the net. Natalia Grodzki made two saves while Tori Graessle turned away one shot in the winning effort.
last time out… Rider defeated Saint Peter's 2-1 on Wednesday. Ashley Drozd notched a tally for a second-straight game for the Peacocks off an assist from Alix Couto and Lauren Solene made eight saves in the loss.
next on tap… After the game at Quinnipiac, the Peacocks will return home to host Manhattan in the final regular season match of the year. Prior to the game, Saint Peter's will honor seniors Shannon Nulty, Greta Vogel and Devon Williams.
vogel honored… Greta Vogel was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Wilson Offensive Player of the Week for the week of Sept. 15-21. It is the senior's first conference weekly honor. Vogel notched her first career hat trick in a span of six minutes and 40 seconds to propel Saint Peter's past Canisius 2-1 on Thursday in the squad's MAAC opener. Trailing 1-0, Vogel took a through ball from senior Devon Williams and raced down the field to find the back of the netting at 76:53. One minute and 20 seconds later, freshman Naima Gustafsson won a battle for a ball with a defender and served a pass that found Vogel's head and into the left corner to give the Peacocks a 2-1 edge. The senior then completed her first career three-goal performance and a natural hat trick with an unassisted tally at 83:34 to seal the 3-1 victory. The 2013 All-MAAC second-team selection became the first Saint Peter's player to record a hat trick since Kyle Marsh accomplished the feat against Delaware State on Sept. 15, 2005.
collegiate firsts… Freshmen Carlee Gonzalez and Naima Gustafsson notched their first collegiate point in the match against Yale in the final two minutes of play. Gonzalez posted her first career goal while Gustafsson dished out the assist on the play for her first collegiate point. Freshman Alyssa Rosania notched her first career goal against LIU Brooklyn on Sept. 28. Fellow freshman Kristina Neri registered her first career tally against Siena on Oct. 5.
preseason poll… The Saint Peter's women's soccer team was picked 11th in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Coaches Preseason Poll. Monmouth, the defending MAAC regular season and tournament champion, has been tabbed as the preseason favorite with 118 points, edging last year's runner up Fairfield (115). Siena (83) and Marist (80) rounded out the Top-4 teams in the poll while Iona (76), Rider (76), Quinnipiac (57), Niagara (46), Canisius (32), Manhattan (32) and Saint Peter's (13) rounded out the poll.
new to the flock… Freshmen Maria Avella, Alexandria Couto, Carlee Gonzalez, Naima Gustafsson, Jennifer Ladouceur, Taylor McLean, Olivia Nazzaro, Kristina Neri, Reighan Pflug, Alyssa Rosania, Lauren Solene and Symone Sweazie each joined the team as freshmen in 2014. Only five players return from head coach Rob Bielan's first season in Jersey City.
welcome to jersey city… Saint Peter's has two students on its roster that do not hail from the United States, but are citizens of the Great White North. Taylor McLean and Reighan Plug both joined the team in 2014 from Ontario, Canada.
about the coach… Head coach Rob Bielan is in his second season at Saint Peter's. Bielan came to Saint Peter's after a successful seven-year stint down the street at New Jersey City University where he posted a 66-71-2 mark, including 47-35-2 in his last four season with the Gothic Knights.
