Megan O’Brien has done it again.
For the second straight game, the sophomore found the back of the net four times to power the UConn women’s lacrosse team (3-3) over the University of Massachusetts (4-2) in a four-score win, 12-8.
The win brought their record back to .500 for the first time in almost a month.
Now at 15 goals on the season, O’Brien’s first goal of the contest officially put her over her scoring total from a season ago just six games in. It was O’Brien who opened the scoring, receiving a pass from Ava Plata on the crease and dumping it in for the score.
O’Brien’s best goal of the day came at the start of the second quarter, putting Minutewomen defender Marisa Gatz through the spin cycle to work her way inside and score her second of the day. All four of O’Brien’s goals came from close range on the crease.
That second goal extended O’Brien’s six-game multi-point streak to six to open the season.
Preseason All-Big East team member Rayea Davis posted her second-straight multi-goal performance as well. Davis’ running goal from dead on in the third quarter gave the Huskies a two-goal lead which prevented the Minutewomen from tying it up from that point on.
Plata and McKenna Merkel each also posted two-goal performances as well. Plata’s four-point performance marked the second straight multi-point performance for her, while Merkel’s pair of scores were the first two of her collegiate career.
Others to score for the Huskies included Karsyn Burnash and Abby Beran.
The final tally of the game with just 25 seconds left on the clock, Beran carried all the way from midfield and scored on an empty net with goalie Bayley Duffy out playing defense for her first goal of the season.
On defense, Beran maintained her reputation as one of the best defenders in the Big East. The reigning Big East Defensive Player of the Year and 2026 preseason award winner contributed five ground ball wins and forced five UMass turnovers.
The Minutewomen struggled on both sides of the ball. Duffy stopped just 36.8% of shots faced, a season low. The offense scored a season-low eight goals, coupled with a season-low 24 shots and 15 on goal. It was the first time this season that UMass has taken less than 30 shots and placed less than 20 on net.
Dylan Lyons was the standout performer for the Minutewomen, scoring two goals in the first half and adding a pair of assists.
Other scorers for the Minutewomen included Norah Prizzi, Bridget Valentine, Kassidy Morris, Lil Hancock, Ava Connaughton and Katie Peterson.
Next up, the Huskies will look to claim a winning record for the first time this season as they head down the road to take on Yale University on Saturday, March 14. Game time at Reese Stadium in New Haven, Conn. is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.