The UConn lacrosse team will take on Columbia at home this afternoon in hopes of continuing their newfound winning streak.
The Huskies are coming off two dynamic wins against Hofstra and Marist and appear to be finding their groove as a team. Despite having a bit of a rocky start and falling early on to Fairfield, James Madison and Saint Joseph’s, the group has gelled on the field to produce several favorable outcomes.
The Huskies won a nail-biting 13-11 contest over Hofstra last Tuesday and fought to the bitter end. The duo came out of the half tied, but the Huskies were ready to take the intensity up a notch. In the third quarter, UConn outscored Hofstra 4-2 which was enough to bring them to a victory.
Saturday’s win over Marist was arguably the Huskies’ biggest win of the season where they swiftly dismantled the Red Foxes’ offensive and defensive lines. UConn showed no mercy in the long-awaited 17-3 victory. The Huskies gave nearly every player a chance in the spotlight as they had 10 scorers. Graduate student Kate Shaffer led the pack with five goals, whereas newcomers such as Eve McGrogan got their first goals of the season.
Looking ahead, the Huskies will face off against the Lions for the sixth time in school history. The Huskies have been on a winning streak against Columbia since 2020 and have historically beaten the group by a large margin.
In last year’s matchup, the Huskies earned double the Lion’s points with a 16-8 final score. Rookie Grace Winkler led the pack with three goals and right behind her was former senior Kyra Place. UConn scorers have remained relatively the same from last season as Shaffer and Susan Lafountain have remained dynamic.
As for the veterans on the team, the seniors and graduate students have proven themselves to be the backbone on the field. Jenna Giardina, Lauren Barry and Eliza Bowman have all repeatedly put in the work to help carry the group to victory.
The group is also showing significant underclassmen promise thanks to redshirt sophomore Rayea Davis who currently leads the team in scoring. Right behind her are Shaffer and Lafountain.
As for Columbia (2-5), they’ve struggled a bit this season. While it is still early on and UConn has seemed to find their groove a bit more quickly, the Lions should not be counted out and UConn will be challenged to stay on their toes.
Earlier this month, Columbia had an explosive 14-12 win over Villanova. Clearly, the group is no stranger to intensity and will play to the last second. Not only that, but the athletes have proven themselves to be proficient in their scoring capabilities.
To counter Columbia’s advances, UConn should aim to play at the same level as they did in the Marist matchup and keep their gameplay near the Lions’ goaltender to ensure offensive pressure.
If all goes well, the Huskies will add a fourth win to their season record books and maintain their steady climb to success.