UConn senior forward Montana Fleming (#2) handles the ball in a game against Liberty on Oct. 15, 2016. The Huskies won 7-2. (Tyler Benton/The Daily Campus)
After suffering their first loss of the season on Sunday, the No. 3 UConn women’s field hockey team will be looking to get back on track this weekend with games against Quinnipiac and No. 12 Boston College. These two games will be the last of the regular season for the Huskies.
UConn (16-1, 6-0 Big East) will host Quinnipiac on Friday for the Huskies’ final Big East game. Having already clinched the regular season title and the No. 1 seed for the conference tournament, UConn will play its last home game looking to go a perfect 9-0 at George J. Sherman Family Sports Complex.
The Bobcats (4-12, 3-3 Big East) have played significantly better in conference games this year. Three of their four wins have come against Big East opponents, including a 3-2 overtime win over then-No. 19 Old Dominion. Graduate student Savanna Reilly leads Quinnipiac with eight goals and four assists. The Bobcats have been outscored 40-29 on the season.
UConn is 11-0 all-time against Quinnipiac, and last year’s matchup was won by the Huskies 7-0. Friday’s game will be the last regular season home game for UConn’s senior class.
Sunday’s game will be yet another matchup with a top 25 team for the Huskies. Boston College comes into the weekend ranked No. 12 with a 9-7 record. The Eagles play No. 16 Harvard early in the weekend before hosting UConn on Sunday.
Boston College is 4-6 against ranked opponents this season entering this weekend, providing evidence that their seven losses does not necessarily reflect a lack of talent. The Eagles are riding some momentum, winning five of their last six games including victories over No. 7 Louisville and No. 18 Wake Forest.
The Eagles are led by sophomore Lucy Lytle, who has scored 11 goals including two game-winners. Also contributing are a pair of seniors, Brittany Sheehan and Eryn McCoy, who have combined for 14 goals and six assists this season.
UConn defeated Boston College twice last season, winning 2-1 in a regular season game and 1-0 in the NCAA quarterfinals. Both of those games were played in Storrs, and the Eagles will be looking for revenge on Sunday in Boston.
Friday’s game against Quinnipiac will be at 4 p.m. at George J. Sherman Family Sports Complex. The Huskies will then travel to Boston to take on the Eagles on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the last game of the regular season.
Josh Buser is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at joshua.buser@uconn.edu.