The UConn women’s soccer team will host St. John’s for a home showdown on Saturday, Sept. 20. This matchup will be the first in-conference game this season.
This past weekend, the Huskies hosted the Maine Black Bears. UConn came away victorious 3-1, adding a win to their overall 4-2-1 record. The win was truly a team affair, using a season high of 20 players. The nine subs played for 20 minutes or longer, emphasizing the complete dominance of the team. The program was able to extend a scoreless streak to 400 minutes and 51 seconds, which was broken in the 61st minute of the game. The team also reached a season-high of three goals in clinching their third consecutive win.
The Huskies’ recent games captured the fierceness of key players and the strength of the program as a whole. Senior forward Chioma Okafor is a stand-out offensive player for the program. Okafor was a crucial component to the Huskies’ past three wins. Against Yale, Okafor took a team-best five shots with two of them on goal, making her a formidable opponent for the Bulldogs. Okafor continued her dominance against Rhode Island, scoring a goal in the first half of the game. This goal was then followed by senior midfielder Abbey Merchant, making this the team’s first multi-goal game of the season. Okafor continued to play fiercely against Maine, scoring on goal assisted by junior midfielder Anaya Johnson. Johnson and Okafor often pair up to form a powerful offense; they linked up against the Bulldogs with Johnson aiding in many of Okafor’s shots. Johnson ultimately got the win for the Huskies with a perfect shot into the side of goal at the 48th minute. Defensively, freshman goalie Ava Yamas has been a standout the past three games. Yamas delivered two straight shutouts against Yale and Rhode Island, including a penalty stop against the Bulldogs.
The St. John’s Red Storm, also known as the Thunderbirds, are coming off a scoreless game against Boston College. Previously, they had a loss against Monmouth and a draw against Fairleigh Dickinson. The Thunderbirds have a strong defense and offense, making them a tough opponent. Sophomore forward Madison Mariani has been a key player on offense, leading the team’s attack. Mariani is a targeted shooter, taking 10 of her 11 total shots on frame, making her a dangerous opponent. Defensively, senior goalie Kayla Bower has been a standout. She has averaged nearly five saves per game and has set or matched career-high in saves multiple times this season. Overall, the Thunderbirds have struggled with consistency and turning plays into goals; however, their key plays show they should not be underestimated.
The Huskies last matched up against the Thunderbirds last season on Sept. 22, 2024. The game ended in a 3-3 draw. Overall, the program has an 18-8-3 record against the Thunderbirds with 11 of the wins being recorded at home. In the last matchup, the Huskies outshot the Thunderbirds 24-6 but were unable to deliver to take the win.
The team will hope to continue their dominance against St. John’s on Saturday, Sept. 20, at 7 p.m. The contest will be a Mental Health Awareness game. Husky fans can tune in to watch this exciting matchup on FloSports.
This is a very descriptive article, Colette.
I should note, however, that St. John’s is not known as the Thunderbirds; they are known as the Red Storm.