A dog fight will be on full display this Sunday in the New England Region as the Connecticut Huskies who are currently at 2-1-1 on the season face off against the Northeastern Huskies who are 1-2-1 at 1 p.m. The women will look to maintain their attacking momentum they had against UMass Lowell while also further establishing their backline.
This is the first matchup against the Northeastern Huskies in nearly two years. The last time these two teams faced off was Feb. 28, 2021. The UConn Huskies went on to win the final non-conference game of the spring season with a final score of 2-0. Seeing as there is a new corps since their last meeting, it will be important to pay attention to the new faces.
Northeastern’s Vivian Akyirem, a freshman from Kumasi, Ghana, and the team’s leading goal scorer with two goals across the first four games of the season, is a new name to watch in both the midfield and frontline. Similarly, the UConn Huskies’ leading goal scorer is freshman Maddie Carroll with three goals in four matches.
While there is a new rotation on both sides, expect veterans Jaydah Bedoya and Jada Konte to take control for the Connecticut Huskies. Both women were freshmen the last time they played Northeastern and have vastly improved in the interim as they have graduated from coming off the bench to getting the nod for a starting spot since this last matchup.
Junior midfielder Jessie Hunt for the Northeastern Huskies is also a veteran in her own right as she played 19 games over the course of two seasons for the Wisconsin Badgers before entering the transfer portal this past off-season to join the Northeastern Huskies. She has quickly become a strong supporting presence.
The Northeastern Huskies are coming off of a loss to the Harvard Crimson where they fell 3-2 this past Monday and will be facing off against the Rhode Island Rams this Friday at home before having to take on the UConn Huskies. Although it is Northeastern’s Senior Day, it is up to Connecticut to distinguish who’s the top dog and set the tone early for their two-week road campaign before returning to Morrone Stadium on Sept.16.
