With only five conference games left in the season and one already in the books, the UConn women’s lacrosse squad must capitalize on their second shot at a conference win.
As of last weekend’s match against Denver, the Huskies have been pushed into a winning deficit, with a 4-5 record. By mid-March, the group appeared to have found their groove after a rocky start. However, their first Big East opponent, Denver, knocked the ball back into their court for a 16-8 triumph.
The Denver matchup gave the Huskies a taste of their own medicine after their merciless, 17-1 victory against Columbia, but UConn will now look to get their record into a more favorable position. With Kate Shaffer, the 2023 Big East Co-Attacker of the year, and Landyn White, the 2023 Big East goaltender of the year on their side, the Huskies can sigh a breath of relief when the ball is in their hands.
The underclassmen have also flexed their muscles as two have stood out to be exceptional powerhouses. Abby Beran was named Big East freshman of the week for a third time this season while sophomore Rayea Davis is the second-highest scorer on the team, behind Shaffer. The two have proven significant promise for the program’s future with their early career achievements.
This Sunday, the group will take on a more-than-familiar opponent, Marquette. Whether it’s on the basketball court or the lacrosse field, the two teams are all too familiar and have been fierce competitors for years.
Last year, Marquette was one of the most, if not the most, dominant competitors in the conference, finishing 15-4 overall and 5-1 in the Big East. UConn wasn’t too far behind, finishing 12-7 overall and 4-2 in the conference. Interestingly, the records show that both groups are facing a more challenging year.
The 2023 season featured two matchups for the teams. Redemption was the overarching theme for the Huskies as they took their second chance at victory and ran with it.
The first of the contests came in mid-April, and forced UConn into an early game of catchup as the first quarter blew them out of the water 7-1. The Huskies gained some traction in the second half and found the net six times. but it wasn’t enough to meet the precedent the Golden Eagles had set. The match finished with a 9-12 loss for the Huskies, but their chance at redemption came just two weeks later.
The second contest was a close call. When the first half finished 11-6 UConn, it appeared as though the Huskies could easily walk away with a win. However, Marquette turned on the heat coming out of the half and outscored UConn 10-6.
Fortunately, UConn’s early advances were enough to just barely hold off Marquette in a 17-16 nail-biting finish.
Despite this history, both the Golden Eagles and the Huskies have performed differently this year as their season has ebbed and flowed. UConn has struggled a bit to remain consistent when attacking, whereas Marquette has struggled to keep up with their more competitive opponents.
The contest should be a relatively even matchup of the two and will provide some insight as to how the conference is shaping up.
The opening draw is scheduled for Saturday at noon in Storrs.