The UConn women’s field hockey team topped Wake Forest University in the opening round of the NCAA Field Hockey Tournament, but that was all they could muster as they were eliminated by Harvard University on Sunday.
The Huskies were shut out by the Crimson, losing 1-0 to end their season.
Martha le Huray, who is second on Harvard’s roster in goals scored and total points this season, scored the lone goal of the game in the second quarter. le Huray batted the ball up and over UConn goalkeeper Natalie McKenna, who dove to save the initial shot and deflected it towards Le Huray.
The Crimson defense, led by Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year Bronte May Brough, kept UConn from finding a rhythm offensively. Harvard took 10 more shots than UConn and had five more shots on goal. Harvard freshman Linde Burger, who recently won Ivy League Rookie of the Year, stopped four UConn attempts.
The Huskies will end their season with a combined 12-9 record across the regular season, the Big East Championship and the NCAA tournament. The Huskies struggled to score all year, ranking outside of the top 50 nationally in goals per game. That flaw was repeatedly exposed by ranked teams. After losing to Harvard, they finished with a 2-9 record against ranked opponents.
One of those two ranked wins did come with the season on the line, however, as UConn took down No. 7 Wake Forest in an upset victory in the first round.
ACC Defensive Player of the Year Mia Montag and company had little answer for the UConn offense. Senior goalkeeper Ellie Todd had five saves but got no support from the Demon Deacons’ offense.
McKenna didn’t have to work much in game one, as Wake Forest got only two shots on goal over the course of the game with McKenna stopping both.
Sophomore back Fien Hollander scored the Huskies first goal of the game less than two minutes before halftime on a corner penalty attempt. Hollander sent a worm burner straight down the middle past Todd to make it 1-0. The goal was assisted by freshman Zita Grigoleit after senior Sol Simone sent the ball into play.
Julia Bressler extended the lead on a penalty shot with just under eight minutes left in the game’s final quarter to put it away for the Huskies.
Going into next season, UConn will be tasked with replacing three of its top performers in seniors Simone, Bressler and Juana Garcia. Simone and Garcia both made the Big East first team, while Bressler made the second team. With Bressler’s goal on Friday, she moved into sole possession of the team lead in goals.
UConn will have a long offseason ahead to evaluate replacements heading into next season.