Sometimes, all you need is a get-right game. That was the case for the University of Connecticut women’s lacrosse team. After getting blasted against No. 12 Denver last week in the Rocky Mountains, the Huskies returned home to face off against Marquette. In a season where wins haven’t been as common as they often are for Connecticut, this 17-7 one sure was sweet.
While they didn’t necessarily dominate from the opening draw, they did get off to a nice start. Lauren Barry scored two of the team’s first three goals as they jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the early portion of the game. The Golden Eagles responded quickly with a pair of scores, but Susan Lafountain’s goal calmed the storm going into the second frame.
Meg Bireley cut the advantage to one again in the opening seconds, but that awoke something for the Huskies. The home side went nuclear, finishing the half on a 6-1 run. Rayea Davis played a huge part in the push, as she converted on two free position goals to kick it off, along with one more later on. Their six-goal differential going into the break was nice, but they didn’t stop there.
Connecticut’s defense was stout in the third quarter, not allowing any goals through. On the offensive end, they peppered the opposing keeper. Star Kate Shaffer netted one of the team’s four goals in the period, as the 10-score advantage rendered the contest all but finished. The fourth quarter ended tied, but the Huskies had many of their reserves in.
Davis had an exceptional afternoon, absolutely torching the Golden Eagles for whatever she wanted. It did help that three of her five goals came from free positions, but she also dipped her hand into the passing department. Davis recorded four assists in her first nine games combined but went crazy on Saturday with five. 10 points in one outing is a career-best for the redshirt sophomore, who appears to be the future of the program.
Another Husky who had herself a day was Lafountain. Though she didn’t have the assisting performance that Davis did, the senior poured in four goals to bring her season total to a team-third 22. Lafountain has stepped up nicely this year, with this game as just another example of what she can bring on any given day. She’s also delivered consistency, going just 2/10 games without a score.
Barry, who has seen an increase in playing time this season, played really well off the bench. It didn’t take long for the sparkplug to see her name called and she found the back of the net early and often. She finished with four scores, playing with an attack-first mindset. Though do-it- all players are necessary, having someone who you know is going for a goal is helpful.
Also notable was Shaffer connecting just once on her five shots, getting into a habit of having on and off nights. While she stepped up big against Denver, she couldn’t put the pieces together Saturday. It helped that she didn’t need to have a big night for the Huskies to grab the blowout victory, but a string of consistent games would be a welcome sight for the Huskies.
Looking holistically, it was a great win for UConn. Marquette isn’t great, but there are no gimmes in the Big East. The toughest part of their schedule is out of the way, so if they can really hone in and string together some victories down the stretch, they could make a push for a conference tournament run.
Their chance to turn this win into a winning streak will come right back at home against Villanova on Wednesday.