The UConn men’s soccer team (2-0-2) looks to remain unbeaten on Thursday night in welcoming their in-state rival Central Connecticut State University (0-1) to Morrone Field (Storrs, Conn.). This marks only the third time the two programs have ever faced each other, with the Huskies winning the previous two games by narrow margins.
UConn is fresh off a convincing 5-1 victory over Manhattan on Thursday night where the Huskies overcame an early one-point deficit to score five unanswered goals, cruising past their out-of-conference opponents. Scoring for the Huskies included senior Charlie Howard, redshirt-sophomore Sabri Hanni, senior Austin Brummett, graduate student Balthazar Saunders and senior captain Nicolas Tomerius.
Keep an eye out for freshman midfielder and Beacon Falls, Conn., native Preston Alessio to make a big impact against the Blue Devils. The former 2024 Connecticut Boys’ Soccer Gatorade State Player of the Year recorded his first collegiate multi-point game versus Manhattan with two assists, making a statement in his debut.
Defensively, sophomore goalkeeper Kyle Durham has turned the heads of UConn fans, recording a career-high seven saves against the Jaspers. His brick wall-esque play has no doubt been a huge factor in the Huskies’ early-season success.
Their opponents are led by third-year head coach David Kelly, who guided the Blue Devils to a 1-17-1 season in 2024. Despite winning only one game, there are many reasons for Central Connecticut fans to be optimistic in 2025, as the team returns several players from last season who gained much-needed experience.
Defenseman Trevor Rau is back for his third season after a solid 2024 campaign with the Blue Devils. The Plainville, Conn., native started 13 games and was a major contributor to Central Connecticut’s defensive efforts in nearly every contest. Look for a surge in productivity from Rau this season as he continues to garner more collegiate experience.
The Blue Devils are also fortunate to have landed Class of 2025 goalkeeping prospect Cristian Torres (Meriden, Conn.) to their arsenal, who should undoubtedly turn some heads in the Northeast Conference. In his collegiate debut, Torres recorded a whopping nine saves, establishing his alarming presence for an otherwise struggling program.
Kickoff is slated for 6:00 p.m. at Morrone Stadium in Storrs. The match can be watched live on UConn+.