The fifth and final game of the spring season for UConn’s women’s soccer team will commence at 7 p.m. on Friday evening.
Sacred Heart set their program record for wins in a season in 2022 with 11. However, the 2023 fall season didn’t go as planned with a 6-9-4 record and a first-round exit in the NEC tournament. Led by sophomore Morgan Bovardi, the Pioneers will look to build off winning three of their last four regular season games. Other key players for Sacred Heart include forwards Desiree Crawford and Grace O’ Hara, midfielder Kelly Medeiros and defenders Maria Nolan and Alexis Sickler, all of whom earned College Sports Communications Academic All-District honors for their efforts both on the field and in the classroom. Expect a goaltending rotation of freshmen Kyran Thievon and Lauren Calabro, junior Faith Gargano and graduate student Elyssa Kipperman from Southbury, Conn.
UConn and Sacred Heart will face off for the first time in almost 20 years. The Huskies have taken both matchups from the Pioneers, winning 1-0 on Oct. 24, 2004 and 3-0 on Nov. 13, 2001, respectively.
The Huskies will have big expectations for this game with the fall season looming about four months away. After going 7-1-3 at Joseph J. Morrone Stadium, the Huskies will look to use home turf to their advantage on Friday.
Goalies MaryKate Ward, Elizabeth DiBlasi and the Big East Goalkeeper of the year Kaitlyn Mahoney will all most likely see a period of action each. The newly elected team captains, defender Yasmin Rosewell, forward Abbey Jones and midfielder Lucy Cappadona should also be expected to lead the rest of the team in action.
The young cast of the Huskies should also get a lot of field time on Friday in preparation for the fall season. With five of the seven forwards being underclassmen, Chioma Okafor, Alexandra Taylor and the rest of the crew will be looking to put some goals in the back of the net. Okafor, a member of the First Team All-Big East and the Huskies’ leading goal scorer with six goals last season, is an emerging leader as a sophomore and will look to continue her strong play going into her junior year season.
The back end of the field for the Huskies consists of veterans with Maya Mathis as the lone underclassmen defender. The midfielders are a healthy mix of four upper and lower classmen, with freshman Anaya Johnson being the biggest threat for a goal after she scored three in her freshman campaign in the fall.
Fans can attend the game at Morrone Stadium for free upon admission at 7 p.m. on Friday.