The University of Connecticut women’s soccer team took down Providence College on Wednesday night to secure its second conference win of the season.
This was the Huskies (6-3-2, 2-1-1) third straight win over the Friars (3-4-2, 0-2-1), extending their unbeaten streak against their Rhode Island rivals to six games. After coming away winless in their past two Big East games, UConn needed this win to get back on track.
UConn broke open the scoring in the 23rd minute after they earned a corner kick opportunity.
The ball leaked out of the fray on the set piece, as third-year Lydia LeBlanc from the right side to put a shot on goal, but first-year midfielder Isabella Kloock-Jensen stood waiting in goal and repelled the shot. The Huskies kept the ball in the box and put two more shots on goal but continued to have them denied by Providence
Fourth-year Chioma Okafor tracked down the loose ball. With defenders closing in she fired a shot off her left foot that weaved through the crowd, past the hands of the keeper into the top right corner to give the Huskies the lead.
The Huskies have not lost when scoring the first goal of the contest this season.
The Big East Player of the Year preseason favorite had never scored against the Friars despite meeting them three times in her career prior to the contest. The goal brings Okafor’s season total to four, which propelled her into the top 10 in the conference.
Providence was not able to get a shot on goal until the 47th minute of the game. However, their offense came alive in the second half, finishing with 16 shots on the night, but UConn’s airtight defense was on full display at Anderson Stadium to protect their lead. The Huskies boast one of the top defenses in the country. They rank top 30 in the country in both goals against average and shutout percentage.
Thanks in large part to first-year Ava Yamas, who earned her fifth clean sheet of the season to protect the Huskies one goal lead. The freshmanleads the conference in total saves and saves percentage, as she continues to stake her early claim for Big East Freshman of the Year.
The Friars were nearly able to find their equalizer in the 65th minute. Kloock-Jensen fieled a through ball from fourth-year Brooke Haarla and fed it into the box to second-year Lily Gibbs. She snuck a pass through the Huskies back line that found first-year Courtney Pickles with a wide-open net in front of her on the left side.
Pickles took the shot but dug too deep under the ball and chipped it 10 feet over the goal. The crowd groaned as the freshman put her head in her hands and trotted back into position.
Neither team was able to find the back of the net in the second half, as the Huskies would go on to win 1-0.
UConn will continue its conference slate as they return home to take on Creighton University. The Huskies have come out on top in four of their five all-time meetings dating back to 2021.
The game will kick off at 6:30 p.m. from Joseph J. Morrone Stadium and can be streamed on ESPN+.