Tonight, the Huskies will travel to South Orange, N.J., for a Big East matchup against the Pirates. In the all-time series, UConn leads Seton Hall 12-7. Coming off two wins, UConn is looking to ride their hot streak and increase this to 13-7.
Kills, blocks and defense in general will be especially important in this game. This was evident earlier this season in the Huskies’ 3-1 victory over the Pirates. UConn out blocked Seton Hall 16-4 and recorded 53 kills while limiting them to a .171 hitting percentage.
For a similar feat to be achieved, the Huskies will rely on their key players in these categories. Courtney Grayson leads the team in blocks, averaging 1.04 per set and accumulating 96 on the season. Grayson is followed by Jordyn Hughes with 69 and Sydney Borowy with 41. Strong blocking at the net will be essential to disrupting the Pirates’ offense. Limiting Seton Hall’s attacking opportunities creates more chances for the Huskies to control the pace of the match.
As for defense in general, Hughes and Hazuna Akishige hold down the back row. Akishige leads the team in digs, averaging 3.13 per set and totaling 291 for the season. Hughes acts as the utility player, performing above average in all aspects of defense and filling in where she’s needed.
On offense, Borowy leads the team in kills, averaging 2.87 per set and totaling 258 for the season. She’s followed by Grayson with 204 and Maja Daca with 189. These offensive threats could make it more challenging for Seton Hall to focus its defensive efforts on just one player. The consistent contributions of Borowy, Grayson and Daca may prove to be a difficult force for the Pirates to break through.
A victory in tonight’s game would put UConn’s overall record at 11-15 and their conference record at 4-9. With the regular season approaching its conclusion, the Huskies are out of time to qualify for the Big East tournament. However, conference games are still important, as UConn has the chance to improve their conference standing in general. Coming off a three-game losing streak, Seton Hall currently sits with an overall record of 9-15 and a conference record of 1-11.
This contest kicks off a series of two road games the Huskies will play in the back half of the week. After the Pirates, they will take on St. John’s on Nov. 7.
The game will be streamed on YouTube and start time is set for 5 p.m.