The UConn field hockey team will be at home this weekend for two tough matchups against No. 18 Liberty and No. 12 Syracuse.
The Huskies dropped in the national rankings following their 3-2 loss against Providence last week, falling from No. 5 to No. 8.
The Huskies rebounded from that loss with a big win over a ranked UMass team, but they will be tested this weekend. The Huskies are 3-1 this season when taking on ranked opponents and hold an unbeaten 8-0 record on their home turf.
Liberty is a team that is battle tested, having faced off against some of the best teams in the country. While holding losses to No. 14 Albany, No. 2 North Carolina, Old Dominion and No. 4 Virginia, they also have a convincing win against No. 10 Duke and carry a four-game winning streak into this matchup. The Flames are 3-2 in Big East play, and a win against the Huskies would go a long way in continuing their season following the upcoming conference tournament.
The Syracuse Orange have had a season of tightly contested matchups but have persisted with several wins. The Orange are also a strong opponent, holding wins over No. 17 Penn State, Louisville, No. 13 Princeton and California. Syracuse is coming off a 2-3 loss against No. 4 Virginia, which they fell in the shootout in an ACC battle.
The Huskies are hoping to continue their home dominance and finish out the season strong. With three games left in the season and these being the last two on their home turf, Connecticut is looking to improve to 10-0 at home and remain as a top ten team in the nation. Winning the final three games of the season would be massive for UConn, as they look to win the Big East tournament and make a push for their sixth national championship.
Following a 5-13 record just a season ago, head coach Paul Caddy has completely turned his team around as his Huskies sit at 13-2 and are in the driver’s seat in the Big East. A conference championship and NCAA tournament appearance would be massive for Caddy’s squad as they continue to prove that the five-time national champions are still a threat and aren’t going anywhere.