The University of Connecticut field hockey team will finally be back home in Storrs this Friday at 1 p.m. to face off against Temple University. Temple and UConn have a long history with each other going back 36 years, having clashed 20 games since. Connecticut’s record against them is 14-5-1, with the only tie being from their first match-up in 1987.
UConn had a 14-game win streak starting in 1994 that ended in 2021, allowing Temple to start a streak of their own with three wins. In the last three games, there has been a one-point differential, meaning this match could be a close one. One thing is for sure: both teams are different from previous years, and Temple would need to get themselves together to make it close.
The Owls got hot in their first two games this year, blowing out Queens University of Charlotte and Lock Haven University. But after losing to the University of Virginia 7-0, Temple has found itself in a three-game losing streak, giving them a record of 2-3 for the season so far.
With the Huskies losing their first game last Sunday, they are hungry to bounce back and dominate the game once again. Not everything coming out of Sunday’s game was bad; in fact, the team is continuing to climb the ladder in the rankings, coming into Friday’s game as No. 14 in the nation. This says a lot about the talent on the team as one loss would usually knock a team further down in the rankings.
Due to the struggles the Owls are having, this could be an easy game for the Huskies. Several players on the UConn roster will have the opportunity to put up points. The main scorers to watch out for are Juul Sauer, Sophie Perschk, Sophia Ugo and Sol Simone. The two freshmen, Sauer and Perschk, have been dominating the forward position and do not look to stop. Sauer is the team’s leading scorer right now with seven goals, and Perschk is not far behind with five goals.
Looking at the defensive side for Connecticut, the biggest problem on Sunday was letting too many shots by. While Natalie McKenna has been playing phenomenal in the net, she is also the last resort. The Huskies have proven several times to force opponents to take harder shots that have led the shot to not being on goal.
UConn is looking to end a three-year losing streak and get back on track to continue winning. On the other side of things, Temple wants to make a name for themselves. Both teams are coming into this match with a loss on their shoulders, and the winner will be the program that wants it more.