HAMDEN, Conn. - Despite being up by as many as four goals early in the second half, the Jaspers fell to the Quinnipiac Bobcats in each team's first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conferece (MAAC) game of the spring. With the loss, Manhattan falls to 2-7 on the year. The win marks Quinnipiac's first of the season and first as a member of the MAAC.
The Jaspers held an 8-6 edge at halftime and were up 10-6 only 1:53 into the second stanza, but the Bobcats stormed back scoring six of the game's final seven goals. Quinnipiac went on a 4-0 run in the middle of the second frame to tie the game at 10, but junior Domenica O'Brey halted the spurt with 6:04 to play. O'Brey's tally put Manhattan back up by a goal with the score 11-10. Quinnipiac netted the last two goals of the game over the final 5:52 of play to leap ahead and finish on top.
The Jaspers offense was very balanced, as seven players accounted for the 11 goals. Senior Kelsey Rehain, junior O'Brey, sophomore Megan Yarusso and freshman Darby Nolan each tallied twice. Seniors Clare Kerrisk and Carly Eskenazi and junior Donna Jo DiNorcia scored once apiece. Rehain and Nolan had a team-high three points each.
Defensively, DiNorcia led the team with two ground balls and two caused turnovers. Junior starting goalkeeper Christina Fiorinelli made 12 saves in the contest.
For Quinnipiac, Kyra Ochwat had a game-high six point effort. Ochwat registered four goals and two assists on the afternoon. Kelly Babstock also scored four times for the Bobcats.
The loss marked the third time this season the Jaspers have fallen by just one goal.
Manhattan is back in action on Wednesday, April 2, when they host the Siena Saints for a MAAC duel at Gaelic Park. The opening draw is set for 3 p.m. The meeting with Siena kicks off a three-game homestand for the Jaspers.