After notching a second-half comeback win against DePaul on Friday, the UConn men’s soccer team is set to return to Storrs to take on the Fairfield Stags Tuesday night.
The history between these two teams dates to Sept. 26, 1993, when the Huskies took the shutout win, 4-0. Since then, the Huskies have won two matches out of the four they’ve played against Fairfield. The second win, out of the 2-1-1 record the Huskies have against the Stags, includes their most recent match in November of 2008, when the Huskies notched another shutout win, 1-0.
With nearly a decade since these two Connecticut schools clashed, both teams are coming into this match hungry for a win.
The Stags have had the toughest start to their season in a few years, losing their first six matches. Their record so far for their 2024 season is 1-6, with their first win coming from their most recent match against Columbia last Wednesday.
Against the Lions, junior midfielder William Pierce was the star of the show, scoring two goals in the first half. During the second half, he sealed the deal for the Stags with a hat trick goal, making the final score 3-1.
Pierce, known to be a persistent offensive powerhouse for the Stags, is a player that the Huskies will have to look out for in this upcoming matchup. Pierce led his team with 15 points in his inaugural season last year. Amid this season, Pierce still leads his team in points with nine in the seven games played.
Connecticut is coming to this matchup on a high after junior Eli Conway scored his first hat trick of his collegiate career. Throughout his tenure at UConn, Conway has been beneficial to the Huskies as a clutch player, especially after he scored the game winning goal last season in the Big East Quarterfinals, sending his team to the Semifinals for the first time since 2012.
Connecticut remains undefeated so far this season, and to maintain this streak, UConn will need more clutch players to step up as more tough opponents and Big East play will arise.
To win this matchup, the Huskies must keep the ball in Fairfield’s box and have consistent shots on goal in the first half to avoid their habitual scoring droughts.
Kickoff between these two Connecticut foes is scheduled for 7 p.m. from Morrone Field. If Husky fans cannot make it to Storrs, they can tune in on UConn+.