The UConn Huskies have come alive in their recent conference campaigns to finally notch a favorable 6-5 record after climbing a seemingly uphill battle for most of the season.
After a 9-18 blowout in Denver to begin the Big East series, the Huskies appeared to be at a crossroads. The absence of a winning streak, except for a short 3-0 mid-season run, had the Huskies jonesing for another chance. Luckily, Villanova was the perfect opponent.
Historically, the Huskies have blown the Wildcats out of the water and have only fallen to them twice since 2009. If the trend continued, all signs pointed to a UConn triumph.
The first period defined the match for the Huskies as they flew out of the gates and were prepared to run circles around the Wildcats. UConn quickly made it known that Villanova would not be dominating the Huskies’ home turf.
Breakout star Rayea Davis was the first to make a move. The redshirt sophomore netted the first goal of the game to get the Huskies on the board in no time. Throughout the season, Davis’ prevailing success has been exceptional to witness as her efforts continuously get her name on the board. Davis already has 26 points this season, not including this matchup, and has dominated every opponent the Huskies have faced.
UConn continued their dominant streak to overwhelm the Villanova goaltender with attack after attack. Outshooting the Wildcats 10-2 was no problem for the Huskies as a perfect storm appeared to be brewing.
Senior Morgan Carter had the next opportunity in the spotlight. An assist from Jenna Giardina gave Carter the perfect opportunity to rush the net for her sixth goal of the season.
By the end of the first, UConn was able to put away five more goals with Davis picking up yet another. Although Villanova eventually found two opportunities to score, they were no match for the Huskies.
There was no shortage of excitement heading into the second, but the Huskies had to walk on thin ice as the quarter winded down.
Graduate student Kate Shaffer, whose shoes may be the hardest to fill next year, notched her first of the game less than a minute into the second which marked her 150th career goal.
This time around, Villanova got closer to keeper Landyn White and increased their shots on goal from two to eight.
UConn was a bit quieter but managed to hold their ground. After successfully finding the net two more times, the Huskies unraveled a bit towards the end. The Wildcats were able to inch closer to the Huskies in hopes of earning at least half their points.
The final three minutes allowed Villanova to capitalize on the holes in the Huskies’ defense to net two more, ending the half 10-4.
Beginning the second half, UConn needed to find their edge. Luckily, their offensive versatility and aggression were just what the Huskies needed.
While Shaffer’s talent was no surprise to anyone on the field, she was relentless in the third picking up two more. Senior Abby Charron also came out of the Huskies’ back pocket to notch her first of the contest alongside Susan Lafountain.
Although the Wildcats nudged a bit closer to the Huskies, their two points in the third weren’t enough to cause panic.
UConn comfortably sailed 14-6 into the fourth, just 15 minutes away from a conference win.
While the final quarter was anything but toned-down from both sides, the Huskies remained untouchable. A free position shot by Carter, a final goal by Shea van den Broek and a grand total of 17 draw controls in the quarter were more than enough for the Huskies to comfortably glide into a win.
Although Villanova hasn’t been great this season, a Big East win is no small victory. With the final stretch of their season coming up, it is now essential for the Huskies to maintain their newfound streak.
Next week, the Huskies have a great shot at another victory as they will hit the road to take on Xavier (3-8). Record and streak alone, the Huskies already have the upper hand, but a Big East victory is never set in stone.
The opening draw is scheduled for Saturday at noon.