UConn redshirt senior forward Andrea Plucenik dribbles the ball during the Huskies’ game against East Carolina at Joseph J. Morrone Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015. (Jason Jiang/The Daily Campus)
The No. 11 University of Connecticut women’s soccer team (14-2-0) returns home to host Houston (4-11-0) in an American Conference matchup today in the first game of their final home stand this season.
The Huskies will enter the game riding the momentum of a recent hot streak. UConn has won their last six games in a row and sit in second place in the American with a chance to win the regular season title, if they win the last two regular season games.
Senior forward Samantha McGuire has been playing well for the Huskies recently, McGuire scoring the game-winning goal in each of UConn’s last two victories. McGuire has five goals this seasons to go along with three assists.
In their last meeting in 2014, Houston and UConn played to a 0-0 tie in double overtime. Houston will have their hands full if they want to keep the Huskies off the board once again.
UConn’s offensive attack as a whole has been impressive lately. The Huskies are averaging 1.88 goals per game while holding opponents to just .75 goals per game.
UConn’s leading goal scorer this season is junior forward Rachel Hill who has scored ten goals. McGuire and Stephanie Ribeiro are tied for the second most with five goals each this year.
The UConn defense has also been playing well since conference play has started. Led by goalkeeper Emily Armstrong, the Huskies have only allowed four goals during conference play.
Armstrong has recorded six shutouts this season, in addition to a .836 save percentage.
The Huskies will face a Houston team that has struggled this season, especially since conference play has started. Houston is currently on a seven game losing streak and is still in search of their first conference win.
Houston averages 1.13 goals per game this season while allowing an average of 1.53 games per season.
Houston has a balanced scoring attack, as three players, Lexa Green, Selena Peters and Desiree Bowen have all scored four goals this season.
The game will be played at Morrone Stadium tonight at 7 p.m.
Spencer Mayfield is a staff writer for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at spencer.mayfield@uconn.edu.
