The University of Connecticut men’s soccer team hosted Seton Hall at Joseph J. Morrone Stadium on Friday at 6 p.m. to open Big East play. The game was largely defined by one frantic, early stretch by the Pirates, which left UConn chasing to erase the deficit for the remainder of the game. The 2-1 loss brings the Huskies to a 3-4-2 overall and 0-1 in conference play. Despite the loss, the Huskies controlled much of the later game, mounting a late push to try to erase the deficit.
The Pirates did not waste time, coming out with immediate aggression before the Huskies had a chance to settle in. Junior midfielder Sivert Ryssdalsnes scored just 13 minutes into the first half, assisted by junior forward Joaquin Brizuela. Less than two minutes later, senior midfielder Nico Rubio doubled the score for the Pirates. The Pirates relied on efficiency to obtain the early lead, having six first-half shots, the same number as the Huskies, but having success in converting two of them. Seton Hall showed they did not need a large number of chances to create an early advantage.
The early lead for the Pirates created an aggressive atmosphere with 30 fouls and eight cards overall. For the Huskies, senior forward Elijah Langford provided most of the offensive strength in the first half. Langford had four shots in the game, which included one on goal late in the first half. The Huskies matched Seton Hall in first-half shots, 6-6, showing they were not completely outplayed. However, they struggled throughout the first half to capitalize on opportunities and turn possessions into goals.
Halftime gave the Huskies a chance to regroup and return with renewed strength for the second half. Redshirt junior Kyle Durham was a dominant force for the Huskies’ defense, having five saves in total, with four of them in the first 15 minutes. Seton Hall continued to create dangerous opportunities, but the Huskies’ defense was able to provide a formidable wall. Durham’s saves gave the Huskies a chance to mount their comeback, especially since Seton Hall outshot them 7-4 on goal.
The momentum of the game began to drastically pick up for the Huskies when freshman forward Justin Hubbard was fouled inside the box in the 62nd minute. This earned the Huskies a penalty kick, which sophomore midfielder Preston Alessio converted to make it 2-1. This marks Alessio’s second goal of the season. Hubbard’s goal fueled the Huskies, increasing their aggression and giving them the strength to generate seven shots during the final 25 minutes. However, the Pirates goalkeeper also stepped up making two critical saves to keep the lead. The Huskies were able to respond in the second half after falling behind early on but could not find the equalizer.
The slow start for the Huskies proved to be detrimental, allowing two goals in a 74-second span, putting them into a hole they were unable to escape. Despite the early deficit, the Huskies continued to generate more offensive opportunities, finishing with 16 shots and seven corner kicks. However, only four of these shots were on target, making it difficult for the Huskies to capitalize on their offensive pressure. UConn continued to create opportunities during the final stretch of the match but ultimately could not close the deficit.
Meanwhile, Seton Hall made the most of its opportunities to protect its early advantage. The Pirates finished with 10 shots, but seven were on goal compared to UConn’s four. Seton Hall goalkeeper Devin Armstrong also made three, including two during UConn’s late push, helping to keep the Huskies from completing a comeback. While UConn generated more total shots, Seton Hall’s ability to put its chances on target and withstand UConn’s pressure ultimately allowed the Pirates to hold onto the lead.
The game captured the Huskies’ endurance, and they will look to respond when hosting Siena on Tuesday at 6 p.m. The matchup provides the Huskies an opportunity to regroup after their conference opening loss and build momentum as the season continues. Husky fans can tune into the matchup on FloSports.