The Jaspers will make their first appearance in the tournament in 10 seasons as they move into second place in the MAAC at 5-1, along with a 10-4 record. Quinnipiac drops to 2-5 in conference play and 5-10 overall.
Manhattan never trailed in the game, though their largest lead was only four as the Bobcats refused to lie down. Senior tri-captain Molly Fitzpatrick (Yorktown, NY / Lakeland) and sophomore attacker Alaina Burgess (Holden, MA / The Governor's Academy) put Manhattan on the board in the first four minutes, but Quinnipiac retaliated with two goals to even the score.
Beginning at the 21:54 mark and going the rest of the first half, Manhattan outscored Quinnipiac 6-3 as Fitzpatrick completed the hat trick before the break. She extended Manhattan's advantage to 9-5 with her fourth of the evening 1:40 out of halftime.
The Bobcats proceeded to score three consecutive goals via Brianna Fitzgerald, Allison Kuhn and Megan Szawlowski to cut the deficit to 9-8 with 23:11 to play. However, neither side found the back of the net for the next 17:13 of the contest until Burgess found twine on a woman-up goal with 5:58 to go in regulation.
Fitzpatrick tied a career-high with five goals, while Burgess, senior midfielder Caitlin Murphy (Carmel, NY / Carmel) and freshman attacker Cassidy Burns (Massapequa, NY / Plainedge) each registered three points. Senior tri-captain Nikki Prestiano (Yorktown Heights, NY / Yorktown) made six saves in net.
Kuhn and Szawlowski each posted three goals and an assist to headline Quinnipiac's attack. Sami Walters and Allie Kelsey combined to to make 13 saves between the pipes.
Before the game, the Jaspers honored Fitzpatrick, Prestiano, tri-captain Emma Kaishian (Yorktown, NY / Yorktown), Jordyn DiCostanzo (Eastchester, NY / Eastchester), Caitlin Murphy (Carmel, NY / Carmel), Jillian Calandra (Sewell, NJ / Washington Twonship), Nicole Quivelli (Airmont, NY / Suffern) and Talia Price (Kinnelon, NJ / Kinnelon).
The Kelly Green and White will close out the regular season with two games on the road. First up, Manhattan visits Monmouth on Wednesday, April 17 at 3:00 pm. The Hawks are a game behind the Jaspers at 4-2.
INSIDE THE NUMBERSGet ready for the postseason, #JasperNation.
— Manhattan WLacrosse (@ManhattanWLax) April 14, 2019
With today's win and a 5-1 #MAACLAX record, we have CLINCHED a spot in the 2019 @MAACOlySports Tournament! pic.twitter.com/pkWIgKWQHP
- Manhattan also reaches 10 wins for the first time since 2009 and is one win away from tying the single-season record for victories.
- The Kelly Green and White closes the regular season with a 7-2 mark at home, one victory shy of the program record.
- Saturday marks Manhattan's first win over Quinnipiac since the Bobcats entered MAAC play.
- This is the Jaspers' third win over a MAAC opponent that they lost to back in 2018, joining Canisius and Marist.
- Fitzpatrick's last five-goal affair came against Saint Mary's on March 12, 2017. Her six points are a season-high and she established a career-high with 36 goals on the season, beating her 2017 mark.
- Burgess recorded her second-straight hat trick and has a team-best 16 goals vs. conference foes.
- Burns has earned a point in 11 contests in a row, while Murphy has done so in 10.
- Freshman attacker Grace Lipponer boosted her goals streak to seven-straight games.
- Fitzpatrick led the team with three ground balls and two caused turnovers, while Kaishian controlled a Jasper-high five draws.
- Manhattan posted a season-high 38 shots and allowed just 19 from the Bobcats, a season-low while facing a MAAC rival.
- The Jaspers also held advantages in ground balls (20-13) and draw controls (13-9), while going perfect in clear opportunities for a second-consecutive outing (15-15).
FIRST HALFUsually, the postgame interview is one player, but how could we choose just one from this group??? Hear the Class of 2019's feelings on the day, the win and their time with the Kelly Green and White! #JasperNation pic.twitter.com/rHJN7MmLHA
— Manhattan WLacrosse (@ManhattanWLax) April 14, 2019
- After she got a ground ball on a Lipponer shot, Fitzpatrick got a pass from Burns, switched hands from right to left and sent a shot in on the right side 2:08 after the opening draw.
- On a woman-up score a minute later, Murphy drew a free position attempt and tossed it to Alaina Burgess cutting in from the right side, who finished in front of the cage.
- Kuhn and Szawlowski scored 1:09 apart to level the score at 24:30.
- Burns put Manhattan ahead at 21:54, working from the right wing and deking multiple defenders to fit a tightly-defended shot down low.
- Prestiano went to her right for a save on Szawlowski's free position shot 9:45 into the frame.
- She then corralled a low-angle shot from Shannon Savage from 10 meters away at the 18:05 mark.
- Less than a minute afterwards, Lipponer drew a free position chance and stuffed it on from the left of the arc.
- Maddie Deegan capitalized on an unassisted strike with 16:14 until halftime.
- From the right, Carmella Liscio dished a pass to Fitzpatrick's rip, and, in one motion, the senior fired the righty shot into the nylon at 14:13.
- After forcing a midfield Quinnipiac turnover, Fitzpatrick and Burgess went two-on-one to the net. The latter cashed in for her second of the game with 7:41 left.
- As the clock read 5:39, Sophie Spencer netted a free position goal from the left wing for the Bobcats' first goal in over 10 minutes.
- Fitzpatrick and Burns repeated the same play as Manhattan's first goal to complete the hat trick for the senior at 3:19.
- Kuhn found the back of the net for the second time in the game as the clock ticked down to 1:47.
- With a minute remaining, Murphy fought off contact as she raced down the middle to give Manhattan a three-goal lead heading into halftime.
SECOND HALF
- With the shot clock winding down in the play at 28:20, Fitzpatrick scooped up a loose ball eight meters away, walked in and laced a shot into the left of the net.
- Prestiano came up big by getting her pocked on Savage's free position shot at the 19:38 mark.
- The Jasper defense thwarted a Quinnipiac free position attempt with a block on Spencer's shot and a ground ball from Kaishian past 12 minutes on the clock.
- Murphy, Fitzpatrick and Burns rattled off four total shots in their offensive possession, but couldn't find a way to beat Kelsey with 9:37 left.
- Deegan controlled the ensuing draw after Burgess' tally, and Szawlowski returned the favor to make it 10-9 Manhattan.
- Fitzpatrick sealed the game at 3:21 off a pass from Murphy.
- Prestiano got a huge save to keep the advantage at two with 62 seconds to go.