Fresh off a victory over DePaul to clinch a spot in the Big East championship, the UConn women’s soccer team will head south to duel Seton Hall on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 6 p.m.
The game will mark UConn’s final matchup of the regular season. The Huskies will then get a 12-day break before competing in the conference championship.
The team is currently on a three-match winning streak, boasts a 10-3-3 record and is 6-1-2 in conference play. The Huskies have won five of their last six games and haven’t lost since Sept. 27 against No. 21 Georgetown.
In addition, the Huskies have scored seven goals in their wins while allowing none. The last time they gave up a goal was 13 days ago in a 2-2 draw against Marquette. To say the least, freshman Ava Yamas has been phenomenal in goal.
UConn senior forward Chioma Okafor is now up to seven total goals on the season and has recorded 39 shots.
On the other hand, Seton Hall has been trending in the complete opposite direction of UConn. They have a record of 3-8-5 and are 0-7-1 in conference play. The Pirates have lost or drawn in each of their last 11 contests, including eight losses during that stretch. They haven’t won a match since Aug. 31 against Drexel.
As a team, they have scored 17 goals while letting up 26. Junior Gianna Angelillo has been one of the team’s bright spots, scoring six goals this season. However, she has not played since Oct. 4 against Providence.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
#21 Se-Hanna Mars, redshirt freshman, forward, Connecticut
In the contest against DePaul, Mars set up Okafor in perfect position to score the game’s only goal. Mars leads the team in assists with five and she has scored three goals in the last three games after scoring none in her first 13 matches.
#1 Ava Yamas, freshman, goalkeeper, Connecticut
Yamas has had a standout freshman season for the Huskies. In 16 matches this season, Yamas has totaled 46 saves and has faced 158 shots. Seton Hall has struggled to score all season, and if Yamas can keep the Pirates from scoring, that will extend her streak of games without allowing a goal to four heading into the championships.
#22 Adria Kitzinger, junior, forward, Seton Hall
Kitzinger worked her way back into the starting lineup three games ago. The Pennsylvania native is second on the team in goals, with four. Two of those goals came in a draw against Xavier and helped her return to being a starter. Over the last three games, she has totaled six shots.
#18 Jordana Bello, freshman, forward-midfielder, Seton Hall
Jordana Bello is tied for second among the Pirates in assists, with three. She also scored the team’s most recent goal against DePaul nine days ago.