The UConn women’s soccer team is set to kick off Big East play against the St. John’s Red Storm on Wednesday night. The Huskies head to Queens coming off a 0-0 draw with Vermont. UConn fired 17 shots to Vermont’s four, without allowing a shot on goal. The Huskies’ six shots on goal could not break through to get them the victory.
Friday’s rainy, windy conditions brought by the nor’easter may have been a factor, but they certainly didn’t slow down the Huskies’ aggressive attack.
Ines Nourani made her season debut after playing for Team Canada’s U-20 team. The sophomore picked up two shots, including one shot on goal in her 76 minutes on the field.
UConn’s leading goal scorer this season, freshman Maeve Staunton, has not played in the last two games. The Huskies could desperately use her scoring abilities on Wednesday as the team hasn’t found the back of the net since she last saw the pitch. Despite generating heavy pressure and firing 17 shots against Vermont, UConn struggled to convert high-quality chances into goals without Staunton driving the attack. Finding consistent offensive production will be critical in the Big East opener, especially as players like Nourani step into bigger roles to create scoring opportunities and relieve the pressure on the Huskies’ backline.
The Red Storm dropped their Big East opener 2-0 on the road against Villanova on Saturday, which marks their third loss in the last four games. St. John’s have also had little success in the scoring department in that span, scoring just one goal in their win against Central Connecticut.
Much like Vermont, St. John’s struggled to generate offense on Saturday, recording only a single shot on goal from sophomore Daisy Burt. Burt is one of seven Red Storm players tied for the team lead with a single goal on the season, as no player has scored more than once.
Wednesday marks the 31st matchup between these Big East rivals, with the last matchup in 2025 ending in a 2-0 win in favor of the Huskies. Taylor Jenkins and Farrah Stephens-Martin both scored for UConn; however, both players have since transferred.
After falling short in the Big East semifinals last season, the Huskies look to kick off their revenge tour on Wednesday at 7 p.m., with live coverage available on ESPN+.