The UConn field hockey team went into this weekend ranked fifth in the country and holding a strong record of 12-1, winners of seven straight. They traveled to Rhode Island to take on Big East opponent Providence before coming home to face off against No. 14 Massachusetts.
The Friars came into the matchup against UConn holding a 5-8 record, 0-3 in conference play, and on a five-game losing streak.
Connecticut entered into this game as heavy favorites, being undefeated in conference playing and only having one loss on the season, but this matchup would turn out to be a dogfight.
UConn struck first, as Sol Simone found Juul Sauer to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead 10 and a half minutes into the game. However, that lead would not last long. Only a minute later, Providence senior Celia Preveza scored and tied the game at one a piece.
Just as time expired in the first period, Huskies Julia Bressler scored, assisted by both Juana Garcia and Simone, the junior’s second assist of the game.
Following this score, the Huskies had a very hard time getting things rolling again offensively. The Friars struck again at the 37-minute mark, as graduate student Ally DeCoste scored off an assist by Cami Crook, tying the game at two and giving Providence momentum.
Both teams would step up their defense throughout the rest of regular time, as neither were able to find the back of the net and found themselves needing more time to settle this conference matchup. Neither team scored in the first overtime period, as the defense remained relentless. At the 74-minute mark, sophomore Bo Martina scored for the Friars, upsetting No. 5 ranked UConn 3-2 and winning their first conference game of the season.
The Huskies looked to bounce back from this loss during their ranked matchup against No. 14 Massachusetts. UMass came into this game with a 12-3 record, having notable wins over No. 20 UMass Lowell, No. 6 Saint Joseph’s and No. 12 Boston College.
Connecticut came into this matchup with a 3-1 record against ranked opponents, with the lone loss against No. 7 Harvard, and undefeated on their home turf.
This ranked matchup was nothing short of a defensive battle, as the game was scoreless heading into halftime, with the Huskies holding UMass to only one shot during the first two periods.
The Huskies struck first in the third, as Bressler scored yet again, her eighth goal of the season, and the lone goal of the matchup.
Connecticut’s stellar defense would remain unbearable for the UMass offense, as UConn would only allow Massachusetts to get off six shots, three being on goal, and would earn their seventh shutout of the season.
This win was a big one for the Huskies, rebounding off the loss against Providence and carrying the momentum into next weekend, when they will be playing host to two more ranked foes, looking to continue defending their home turf and climbing up the national rankings.