This Sunday, the UConn women’s lacrosse team has their last ranked opportunity of the year in the game that also serves as their conference opener. The recent powerhouses of the Big East, No. 13 Denver and UConn, are facing off in the Rocky Mountains in a matinee that is critical for both sides.
Connecticut’s year has been tough, as they’ve started off with an even 4-4 record thus far. They dropped their first three games, two against teams currently in the top 25, by a combined four goals. If things had gone just a little differently each time, it’s not difficult to see the Huskies in a much better standing, perhaps in the top 15 nationally.
Their oddest loss came against a mediocre St. Joseph’s squad that’s not great, but it was likely a culmination of frustration as they faltered against quality opponents. The Huskies were also dominated by No. 16 Yale, 17-6, after being tied 5-5 late in the first half. They had an exceptionally weak second half, falling apart completely.
Since then, UConn has been very good, winning their last three by a combined score of 47-15. Though their adversaries in such competitions aren’t amazing, these are great confidence boosters.
So far, the Huskies have enjoyed contributions from a three-headed attack, with nearly even scoring numbers from Kate Shaffer, Susan Lafountain and Rayea Davis. Shaffer is the reigning Big East co-Attacker of the Year and leads the team with 29 points. Lafountain is having a career-year with 18 goals and 7 assists, dipping into the distribution area that hasn’t typically been a staple of her game. Davis has been a scoring machine with 20 goals on just 41 shots, but missed UConn’s most recent match.
As for Denver, they are having a solid year, though picking up more losses than they often do. The Pioneers had an excellent season in 2023, going undefeated until they faced off against the eventual champions, Northwestern in the national semifinals. They’ve already picked up three losses this time around, perhaps looking a bit more beatable.
Denver owns an 0-3 record against the top 10, while winning their only other top 25 game against No. 11 Stony Brook by a goal. The Pioneers have a dual threat offense, with Olivia Penoyer and Julia Gilbert getting a lot done.
Gilbert has nearly twice as many goals as anyone else on the team with 22, with scoring as her sole focus. The attacker has been reliable, only going one game without finding the back of the net. Penoyer, on the other hand, has done well in setting Gilbert up. She’s responsible for over one third of the squad’s 46 assists, while also serving as the team’s second leading scorer. The postgrad duo has been excellent this year and are crucial for the Pioneers’ success, accounting for nearly half Denver’s points.
No game against Denver has been easy for UConn, as they’ve failed in each of their nine tries dating back to 2017. The largest margin of defeat was 10 goals and they’ve gotten as close as triple OT back in 2021.
A win here would mean everything for the Huskies. It’s been a trying season for Connecticut and if they could pick up a ranked win in this one, it could put them back on track to reach the NCAA tournament. The altitude could be a problem, but they’ll have no shortage of motivation to overcome it.
The opening draw will happen at 2 p.m. ET, noon MT, and can be viewed on Denver’s Pioneer All-Access for free.