Fresh off a 4-3 shootout victory at No. 17 Rutgers, No. 10 UConn (4-1) returns to Storrs for a two-game homestand.
The Huskies open Big East play against Villanova (5-1) today at 3 p.m. They will then welcome No. 3 Princeton (3-1) on Sunday, Sept. 20, at noon. Both contests will be played at the George J. Sherman Family Sports Complex.
In the latter part of their game against Rutgers, the Huskies displayed amazing determination by staying in the 7-on-7 overtime for 20 minutes, even though a player had been sent off on a late card. In the high-pressure penalty shootout, they converted three of four penalty kicks. Lucy Zich, the freshman forward who was named Big East Freshman of the Week, remains a major offensive threat and continues to apply constant pressure on the opposing defense. Moreover, sophomore goalkeeper Natalie McKenna played a key role by making five important saves in regular time and three vital saves in the shootout. The Huskies will need to maintain this high level of play in their first home game at Storrs.
UConn has generally beaten Villanova in the past, with a 38-7 all-time record and securing nine of their last 10 meetings. The teams last played on Sept. 19, 2025, when the Huskies went to Conshohocken, Pa., and won by a small margin, 2–1. Lene Bunjes and Abby Davidson scored the first-half goals. They also maintained a strong defensive record, limiting the Wildcats to just one shot on goal.
UConn has a record of 18-13 against Princeton. Their most recent match was on Sept. 21, 2025, in New Jersey. Princeton shut the Huskies out 5–0 in their Senior Day game, capitalizing on early offensive chances. UConn was limited offensively, managing just 10 shots overall, including five penalty corners.
In both games, the Huskies intend to influence the pace by taking an active role in the midfield. In the match against Villanova, they will press aggressively to keep the Wildcats deep and set up early penalty corners. However, when they play No. 3 Princeton at home on Sunday, they will focus on careful marking and staying calm under pressure — disrupting the Tigers’ transitions and making the most of their high-percentage counterattacks to cope with the difficult two-game homestand.
Today’s game against Villanova will be broadcast on ESPN+, while Sunday’s clash with Princeton will stream live on UConn+.