The UConn field hockey team (9-7) will wrap up regular season play today, Oct. 31, in a road contest against in-state opponent Quinnipiac (10-7) at 3 p.m. at the Quinnipiac Field Hockey Stadium in Hamden, Conn.
After playing to a 6-2 record so far in the month of October and getting their record back to over .500, the Huskies have forced their way back on to multiple national rankings. They came in at No. 20 in ESPN’s ranking are all the way up to No. 12 in the latest NCAA ranking.
That improvement is in large part due to a big month from senior forward Julia Bressler. The team captain has scored four goals across those eight games, reestablishing her role as the focal point of the Husky offense.
Goalkeeper Natalie McKenna has also been on fire in October, shaking off a slow start to the season by allowing just four goals over the eight games for an average of 0.5 allowed. The 2024 Big East Goalkeeper of the Year has made 37 saves and has a save percentage of .902 on the month after blocking shots at just a .695 rate through August and September. For a UConn offense who has struggled at times to the back of the net, McKenna has been a huge force in keeping the Huskies competitive in close games.
Quinnipiac has outscored UConn on the season by 15 goals and has only allowed one more goal, though 18 of Quinnipiac’s goals came over a set of three shutouts against lesser opponents, explaining the difference in records between the two teams.
Quinnipiac’s most potent offensive threat is undoubtedly sophomore midfielder Francisca Eschoyez, who ranks in the top 25 in Division I field hockey in goals scored with 12. Eschoyez, who was a member of the 2024 All-Big East second team, also leads the team in assists with nine and is squarely in the running for Player of the Year.
Freshman Rozemarijn Van Keulen has also netted eight shots and will be in the conversation for Big East Freshman of the Year. Two of those goals came in the team’s last contest, a 5-1 victory over the University of Massachusetts Lowell (8-8).
Since the first match between the two teams in 1998, UConn has been utterly dominant. The Huskies currently hold a 23-0 historical record against the Bobcats, with 10 of those wins coming on the road. Since Quinnipiac joined the Big East as an associate member in field hockey in 2016, UConn has racked up nine victories.
With Quinnipiac currently holding a 2-4 record against Big East opponents, UConn will be looking to extend that winning streak and make it an even 10 wins in conference play. The Huskies currently hold a Big East 5-1 record and have clinched the second seed in the Big East tournament, which will take place next weekend at Liberty in Lynchburg, Va.
The game on Friday, Oct. 31, can be streamed through Quinnipiac All Access.