The UConn women’s soccer team is heading to Washington D.C. for a matchup with No. 20 Georgetown on Sunday, Sept. 28. The Huskies (5-2-2) are coming off a 1-1 draw at home to No. 23 Xavier, with the Huskies’ goal coming from sophomore forward Farrah Stephens-Martin in the 56th minute. UConn extended its unbeaten streak to six matches, with its last loss coming exactly one month before Sunday’s contest.
Georgetown (6-2-2) is coming off a dominant 3-1 win at home against Seton Hall on Wednesday night.
This will be the 23rd matchup between the Big East foes. Their last matchup came in November of last season, where UConn shut out the Hoyas, 2-0. Although the Huskies lead the all-time series 13-8-1 and won the most recent matchup, they have struggled lately, managing just two wins in the last seven meetings.
On the road this season, the Huskies are 2-1-1, as the Hoyas are 2-1-1 at home.
Georgetown’s key win of the season was their 1-0 victory over (at the time) No. 10 South Carolina. The Hoyas handed the Gamecocks (8-1-2) their only loss of the season. Although UConn has a similar record to Georgetown, the Huskies must be on their game to take down the Hoyas, as they have beaten one of the top programs in the country.
Players to Watch:
Maja Lardner, Georgetown, Graduate Student, Forward
Lardner leads the team in scoring with seven goals. The graduate student scored five goals in her first four games. Coming off a goal against Seton Hall, the Huskies need to contain Lardner from setting the tone for Georgetown, not allowing her to score a goal in a second straight game.
Shay Montgomery, Georgetown, Senior, Midfield
Montgomery leads Georgetown in assists with five coming off a goal in her last two contests. The midfielder can both score and share the ball. The Huskies must make sure they keep Montgomery at bay.
Chioma Okafor, UConn, Senior, Forward
Okafor leads the Huskies in goals scored with three. The speedy forward will be all over the field Sunday night. Don’t be surprised if she puts the ball in the back of the net.
Taylor Jenkins, UConn, Sophomore, Midfield
Scoring against Maine and St. John’s, Jenkins fired four shots against St. John’s and none against Xavier. Jenkins will look to get back in the scoring column against Georgetown.
UConn established early dominance in the series, winning the inaugural matchup in 1995 by a 4-0 margin before recording a dominating 12-0 victory the following year. The Huskies went on to open the rivalry with eight consecutive wins, conceding only two goals during that span.