Breaking even this weekend against No. 18 Liberty University and No. 12 Syracuse University, the University of Connecticut’s field hockey team battled to the end, fighting for victory.
Improving their overall record to 14-2 and increasing their home game streak to 9-0, UConn came out with a win in an overtime thriller. Sending them home with their sixth loss, Connecticut snapped Liberty’s four-game winning streak.
Both offenses struggled to get anything going, as a defensive battle nearly kept the contest shotless by the end of the first quarter. Attempting 223 shots with 151 on goal for the season, the Flames held UConn to just two shots with one on goal. With how aggressively the forwards for Connecticut have attacked the keepers in past clashes, being in this situation is a rare sight. This was not the start the Huskies wanted.
However, despite the early offensive struggles, UConn’s defense stepped up big. Connecticut’s defense shut down the Flames’ offense through their relentless pressure; they did not allow Liberty to register any shots. This is not a surprise, as the program has proven to outplay several offenses in previous games. Entering the second quarter, both offenses started to look alive. Five minutes into the second, No. 12 Julia Bressler attempted to get the Huskies on the board. Taking a shot on goal, the match remained scoreless as goalkeeper Michaela Skinner made the save.
Coming down to the final stretch of the first half, Liberty got off two shots, both saved by No. 1 Natalie McKenna. Obtaining a penalty corner right after, the Flames knocked in the first goal of the clash. Not long later, with a penalty corner of their own, No. 14 Sol Simone deflected the ball into the net after a shot attempt by No. 21 Sophie Perschk. Adding a sixth goal to her resume, Simone tied everything up, heading into the third.
Giving UConn no room to breathe and moving up the field, Liberty jumped out of the half strong. Shooting five shots within two minutes, no attempts were made as McKenna saved four and one was blocked. With the remaining time left in the third and fourth quarters, the teams shot back and forth but failed to get anything past the keepers. With the score staying 1-1, overtime decided everything.
Knowing how great both defenses played, the thought of a tie was possible, but UConn had other plans. 44 seconds into overtime, weaving through traffic, Simone eventually connected with No. 4 Juul Sauer. With all eyes on Simone, Sauer took advantage of the opportunity, putting the contest away and giving them momentum for Syracuse.
Just like Friday’s Clash, competitiveness is the only word to describe the way these two teams played. Ending the home game streak, the program fell to Syracuse in the final home game, ending 3-1. This is the first time UConn lost by more than one point this season.
Kicking the match off in a crazy fashion, Orange scored the first goal within 30 seconds but got called back after a review by the officials. Connecticut found no shots concluding the first quarter, keeping the score at zero. Turning the script around in the second, the team put the pressure on, shutting down Syracuse’s offense but seeing no goals going into the half. Attempting two shots the entire first half thanks to penalty corners, the team had once again never been in this situation.
Entering the third quarter, the Orange attempted two shots, keeping McKenna on her feet; however, she saved them, leaving the game scoreless. Coming down to the final five minutes of the third, Perschk found No. 9 Milaw Clause knocking in her first goal, putting UConn in the lead. Possessing the ball for the rest of the match, Syracuse found themselves with three unanswered goals and paused the Huskies’ momentum, concluding the game.
Going 2-2 in their last four games, UConn has hit a road bump, not looking like their usual dominating self. The three ranked teams, Massachusetts, Liberty and Syracuse, gave the Huskies a challenge, but the team has proven to overcome their problems and continue to move forward. Heading into Norfolk, Va. on Friday, Connecticut looks to rebound before going into the postseason.