The UConn women’s soccer team will host Creighton for a Big East showdown on Saturday, Oct. 4. The game will be a breast cancer awareness game.
This past Wednesday, Oct. 1, the team headed to Providence, R. I., for another Big East matchup against the Friars. UConn came out on top 1-0, adding a victory to their overall 6-3-2 record. The victory is the Huskies’ third straight win against the Friars.
The victory captured the dominance of the team as many individuals put up impressive plays. On the offensive side, senior forward Chioma Okafor and redshirt freshman Se-Hanna Mars powered the attack. Okafor scored her fourth goal of the season and 29th goal of her career, scoring the game-winning goal in the 24th minute. Mars brought offensive pressure by generating multiple shots. She had her first shot blocked shortly before Okafor’s goal and drove another ball to the goal in the 30th minute, which was knocked away by the Friars keeper. Nevertheless, Mars’ attempts and fierceness brought momentum to the game. Freshman midfielder Maree-Ann Van Doesburg and junior defender Lydia LeBlanc also aided in the offense. The two also had goal attempts early in the game, which created a spark that allowed Okafor to deliver a successful goal.
Freshman goalkeeper Ava Yamas led on the defensive side. Yamas recorded four saves and her sixth shutout of the season. She endured significant pressure from the Friars but kept them off the scoreboard. The Huskies’ backline also protected the goal to hold on to the lead.
The Bluejays are coming off a 2-1 loss at home to Xavier. On the offensive side, graduate student forward Ariana Mondiri, junior forward Mallory Connealy and sophomore forward Kendal Radke led the attack. Connealy scored her second goal of the season, assisted by Mondiri. Mondiri also assisted Radke in an attempt on goal, which nearly tied the game. However, the offense struggled in creating shots with only five total.
On the defensive side, senior goalkeeper Alyssa Zalac and the back line put up a sufficient effort. Zalac faced pressure throughout the game with 17 total shots but kept the team in the game. The back line played with immense physicality to prevent a breakaway lead for Xavier. They gained more momentum in the second half but struggled in the first, allowing 11 shots. The back line also struggled to reset after tying the game, leading to a goal by Xavier.
The Huskies last matched up against the Bluejays last season on Nov. 3, 2024. The game ended in a 2-0 win for the Huskies, giving them a spot in the Big East semifinals. Overall, the program has a 4-1 record against the Bluejays with a 2-0 home record and a 2-1 away record. The team must put on a dominant offensive and defensive performance for the win.
The Huskies will hope to have the same offensive and defensive dominance against Creighton this season. Saturday’s game will begin at 6:30 p.m. Husky fans can tune in to watch the Big East contest on FloSports.