Kelly Babstock scored four goals and added an assist in Quinnipiac’s 6-1 win against Maine.
Last season, Maine came back from a three-goal deficit in both games to sweep the Bobcats at home.
“We never mentioned it,” Seeley said about preparing for this year’s series. “Our girls were well aware of it, but that’s the past. Maine is a good team and that’s what we prepared for.”
While Seeley never mentioned it, Babstock admitted that there was something to settle from last season.
“We remembered what happened last year and I guess you can call it that we wanted revenge and that was our motivation.”
The Bobcats’ Victoria Vigilanti recorded eight saves for her first win of the season.
Quinnipiac took the 1-0 lead 7:08 into the first period on Babstock’s first goal of the game. A shot from the right circle found Babstock’s stick to the left of Maine goaltender Kylie Smith. Babstock took the feed and roofed the puck top shelf.
The Bobcats added to their lead 1:37 into the second period on Felicia Vieweg’s second goal of the season. Babstock fed Vieweg at the left circle, where she wristed the puck off the left post and past Smith.
Six minutes into the second period, Quinnipiac added to its lead on a classic goal from Babstock on a power play. Regan Boulton fed Babstock in the slot just outside the right circle. Instead of shooting the one-timer, Babstock switched the puck to her forehand and tapped it in the open net.
Boulton added a power-play goal of her own late in the second period. Following QU’s third goal, Lewis elected to switch goaltenders. Freshman Meghann Treacy stopped 11 shots in the second period, but couldn’t hold onto the blast from Boulton. After a face-off win, Boulton wasted no time firing a slap shot from the high slot to make it 4-0.
Quinnipiac added two more in the third period, including two more from Babstock.
Babstock’s fourth goal began at the left circle on a deke move around Brittany Dougherty. After Babstock stepped around Dougherty, she put the puck on her backhand and once again roofed the puck just under the cross bar.
“The goals, especially the fourth goal, were unbelievable, that goes without being said,” Seeley added. “She is amazing around the net, but the most impressive thing is her intensity, and that has improved over the last two years.”
Maine finally got on the board 8:57 into the final frame on a power-play goal from Audra Richards.
“Our inexperience was pretty evident tonight,” Maine coach Maria Lewis said. “The jitters and nerves played a bigger role than they should’ve, but we know that we need to grow from here.”
The weekend series continues tomorrow at 1 p.m. at the High Point Solutions Arena.
