STORRS – In what was one of the biggest home games of the season, the UConn men’s soccer team (7-2-3, 2-1-1 Big East) came up short in the team’s whiteout game against No. 19 Georgetown University (6-3-4, 3-1 Big East).
Saturday’s loss to the Hoyas marks the first time this season that the Huskies have suffered back-to-back losses, as they lost to the University of Vermont on Tuesday.
Connecticut started strong early, dominating the possession and recording four shots in the first 20 minutes.
The best chance of the first half came from forward Eli Conway. The junior from Mount Olive, N.J. had a shot from 15 yards out in the 18th minute but was stopped by Georgetown goalkeeper Tenzing Manske, who made three saves for the Hoyas.
In the 22nd minute, Georgetown got on the board off a counterattack to the Huskies’ offensive pressure. Midfielder Matthew Van Horn fired to the back post for his fourth goal of the season. His goal was assisted by juniors Zach Zengue and Max Viera.
At halftime, the Huskies and Hoyas were even in total shots, with six a piece.
“I thought at the beginning of the game, we started so well,” head coach Chris Gbandi said in an interview posted on the team’s X account. “It was so disappointing to give up a goal like that. I think once they got that goal, it just took the air out of us a little bit.”
The second half was a stalemate, to say the least. The Hoyas controlled the pace from the moment they scored.
Connecticut’s best chance of the second half came in the 61st minute. Midfielder Sabri Hanni fired a shot from ten yards out but could not find the back of the net.
Georgetown won 1-0 and outshot the Huskies 12-11. Despite this, UConn matched their shots on goal total with three.
UConn had five corner kicks to Georgetown’s four, but the Huskies came up empty.
UConn goalkeeper Max Kerkvliet came up with two saves in the loss following a remarkable past two weeks, excluding the last two games.
“UConn is a really good team this year,” Georgetown head coach Brian Wiese said to Georgetown Athletics. “So going into their place and finding a way to take three points is a real accomplishment that we won’t undervalue. I thought UConn was the only team on the field for the first 20 minutes until Van Horn’s goal which really settled us.”
Wiese credited the defenders who saw the field on Saturday night, noting that they have allowed one goal in the last six games.
Saturday night’s loss at Joseph J. Morrone Stadium at Rizza Performance Center marks the seventh-straight loss for the Huskies against the Hoyas. The last time UConn was victorious against Georgetown was on Oct. 3, 2012, winning on the road. The last time the Huskies got the job done at home against the Hoyas was exactly three years prior. Georgetown still leads the all-time series, 17-14-4.
Georgetown now is tied for first place in the East Division of the Big East Conference with St. John’s University. Each team has nine points. Akron University controls the Midwest Division with 12 points and zero conference losses, something that the rest of the league does not have. The Hoyas have now eclipsed Seton Hall University in the Massey Ratings as the best team in the Big East, ranked No. 16 in the country. Connecticut is No. 47 in the ratings.
Georgetown will continue to fight through the Big East with a big game at home against Seton Hall on Saturday afternoon.
In contrast, the Huskies have a quick turnaround as their nonconference schedule closes with a home game against Bryant University on Tuesday night.