University of Connecticut field hockey swept its weekend homestand to improve to 6-1. This weekend’s bout was highlighted by the program’s first Big East win of the season and first victory over a top three opponent since winning the 2017 national championship.
The Huskies opened their home slate with a 3-1 win over Villanova (5-2) on Friday and followed that up by walking off No. 3 Princeton (4-2) in a shootout on Sunday.
UConn executed in the biggest moments all weekend, converting on penalty corners to fuel their offense, and making clinical work of the shootout to knock off the third-ranked team in the country.
Senior goalkeeper Natalie McKenna and freshman forward Lucy Zich proved to be the difference in both matches. McKenna conceded just one goal in each game and recorded three consecutive saves to help the Huskies secure the shootout against Princeton.
Zich, on the other hand, notched three goals on the homestand, all off penalty corners. The reigning Big East Freshman of the Week doubled her season total, now leading the team with six goals on the year.
Zich, who opened the scoring at the 27:24 mark, was the catalyst in UConn’s win over Villanova. Her first goal came off a well-executed set piece, where four Huskies touched it before she drove it in.
A minute and sixteen seconds later, freshman midfielder Lena Reiche and junior forward Ellie Goldstein combined for another goal.
With just 22 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Villanova responded to cut the lead to one. Graduate forward Ava Borkowski slapped a backhanded shot by McKenna for her eighth tally of the season.
With three minutes remaining in the game and the Wildcats still in search of the equalizer, Villanova Head Coach Joanie Milhous pulled senior goalkeeper Maddi Sears in place of another offensive attacker.
At the 58:19 mark, Zich scored the insurance goal off the open cage, for her second of the game.
UConn never trailed and outshot Villanova 17-3, climbing to the top of the Big East standings in dominant fashion.
The Huskies resumed play on a rainy Sunday afternoon in Storrs against Princeton.
Both squads had a strong defensive display in the first half, resulting in a scoreless stalemate at the break.
However, Princeton saw much more action in the circle, tallying up five shots compared to UConn’s one.
The game took off in the third quarter when Zich scored off a penalty corner yet again at the 34-minute mark, and the Tigers responded in similar fashion at the 43-minute mark.
Sophomore forward/midfielder Saylor Milone inserted the penalty corner for Princeton, and after McKenna made the initial save, Milone came crashing in for the rebound to knot up the score.
When the buzzer sounded, the score remained tied, sending the clash into overtime.
The Huskies found themselves on the ropes when sophomore forward Abby Davidson exited with a yellow card, resulting in UConn having to play a man down.
Princeton was able to draw a penalty corner with 2:20 remaining in overtime, where they fired off three shots, all knocked away by the UConn defense.
The game proceeded to a shootout, which played in favor of the Huskies who already had experience with the NCAA’s new game-ender after battling with Rutgers a week ago.
This time around, Davidson led off the shootout by scoring off her second chance.
McKenna followed by making an impressive save in goal, coming out to take the ball from Princeton’s senior midfielder/defender, Ella Cashman.
For UConn, Reiche had the next opportunity, as she attempted to fire a quick shot past senior goalkeeper Olivia Caponiti, but was unsuccessful.
McKenna saved another, and Zich danced around with the ball for nearly eight seconds before slapping a backhanded shot past Caponiti.
McKenna charged the ball once more to make her third save, and her twin sister, senior midfielder Olivia McKenna, wrapped one around to win the shootout and upset Princeton.
Next up, the Huskies will continue their home slate this upcoming weekend. UConn will take on Liberty this Friday with a face off scheduled for 6 p.m.