November 2, 2010

Furtuna Velaj Named NEC Player Of The Week

HAMDEN, Conn. - Quinnipiac University women's soccer junior Furtuna Velaj (Stamford, Conn.) was named adidas/NEC Player of the Week, for the second time this season, after tallying two goals and one assist on the weekend. Velaj's five points led the Bobcats to a 1-0 win against Sacred Heart on Friday, Oct. 29 and a 6-0 shutout against Fairleigh Dickinson on Sunday, Oct. 31, to clinch playoff berth for their second consecutive season.

Velaj's game-winning goal in the 83rd minute against Sacred Heart lifted the Bobcats to a 1-0 victory and kept their chances of clinching a spot in the NEC Tournament alive. Sophomore midfielder Jillian Strassner (Avon, Conn.) dribbled down the right side of the field and crossed the ball into the box to find Velaj, who headed the ball into the lower-left corner of the net.

On Sunday, the forward scored in the fifth minute of play, for one of the Bobcats' six goals against Fairleigh Dickinson. She also had an assist on the game's first goal by Shauna Edwards (Southington, Conn.) within the first three minutes of the half.

Velaj currently leads the team with 19 points, seven goals and five assists.

Quinnipiac faces #2 seed Saint Francis (Pa.) in the semifinals of the 2010 Northeast Conference Tournament on Friday, Nov. 7 at 2:30 p.m. The Tournament will be hosted by the Long Island Blackbirds at Fairleigh Dickinson University.