The Women’s Lacrosse team defeated Fairfield University 19-12 in the season opener game. Their next game will be against James Madison University at the US Lacrosse Headquarters. Photos by Erin Knapp/The Daily Campus
Despite a close, intense game against James Madison on Sunday, the UConn women’s lacrosse team fell to 1-1 on the season and currently ranks third in the American. The Huskies are looking to have a bounce-back victory over UMass Lowell today at 3 p.m. at the Sherman Family Complex.
The Huskies should watch out for freshman Abby McLaughlin, who has scored five goals in her first two collegiate games.
So far this season, the Huskies’ offense has been led by sophomore Lia Laprise, who has accumulated four goals and five assists, totaling a team-high nine points. Behind her is junior Stephanie Palmucci with three goals and four assists to make seven points. Preseason All-AAC member Sydney Watson leads the Huskies in goals with six. Olivia Miles, Casey O’Grady and Olivia Troy have contributed to the offense as well with five, four and three points respectively.
On the defensive side, sophomore Julia Ozimek is topping the stat sheet with 12 draw controls, followed by Watson with eight. Ozimek also leads the team in caused turnovers (eight), five more than the next highest (Alyssa Conklin with three).
The Huskies have been very effective on both ends of the field with free position opportunities, scoring four out of seven chances this season.
The Huskies continued their trend of stellar accuracy on Sunday with a 0.882 shots on goal percentage while holding their opponents to just 0.656 on the season. They look to keep this hot shooting streak going today against a UMass team that has allowed 10 points per game and a 0.65 shots on goal percentage.
In their first two games, UConn has given up the ball 33 times, already an improvement from this point in the season last year (44). UMass has had quality ball control as well, only accruing 32 turnovers.
The Huskies have been very effective on both ends of the field with free position opportunities, scoring four out of seven chances this season. They have held opponents to two goals off of nine total attempts.
The UMass Lowell River Hawks have gone 1-1 in their first two games, with a season-opening win over Central Connecticut and a loss at Holy Cross. The Huskies should watch out for freshman Abby McLaughlin, who has scored five goals in her first two collegiate games.
UMass currently ranks fourth in the entire NCAA Division 1 in clear percentage, with 95.5 percent. In contrast, UConn’s clear percentage is currently 84.8 percent.
Looking down the road, the Huskies are slated to play at the University of New Hampshire on Sunday and then travel to nearby Quinnipiac the following Saturday. The River Hawks will next play at home on Monday against UMass Amherst.
Jonathan Synott is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at jonathan.synott@uconn.edu.