For the second straight year, the University of Connecticut missed out on an automatic championship bid, falling 1-0 to Old Dominion in the Big East title match.
UConn entered the postseason after allowing only 12 goals during the regular season. The top-seeded Huskies traveled to Howarth Field trying to back up their unbeaten Big East record. Across two defensive matches, UConn conceded just two goals.
A decisive moment in the final quarter on Sunday cost UConn the conference tournament title.
UConn opened the weekend with a Friday semifinal against fourth-seeded Villanova. The Huskies controlled play and outshot Villanova 10-6, but the match remained scoreless late into the fourth quarter.
Villanova goalkeeper Maddi Sears anchored a stubborn Wildcats defense, turning away five shots to keep her squad in contention. UConn’s own backline had to deliver when it mattered most, highlighted by a crucial defensive save from Marlijn Swaan on a dangerous third-quarter Villanova penalty corner that kept the match level.
UConn broke through with under eight minutes remaining. At 52:06, Big East Freshman of the Year Lucy Zich scored off a Charlotte Ritter assist for the game-winner. Goalkeeper Natalie McKenna and the defense held firm to secure the 1-0 shutout and advance to the final.
Waiting in that championship match was a suddenly red-hot Old Dominion squad. The third-seeded Monarchs had just pulled off a stunning 1-0 upset over the second seed and defending champion Liberty in the other semifinal.
Despite being heavily outshot 19-8 by an unrelenting Liberty attack, the Monarchs leaned on a heroic performance from goalkeeper Suus Broers, who totaled seven saves to secure the clean sheet. The match remained a scoreless deadlock until early in the fourth quarter. At the 51:13 mark on a penalty corner, Old Dominion’s Lotte Haagmans finally broke through, finishing a feed from Serena Langendoen for the decisive game-winner. Liberty pulled their goalie with four minutes remaining but couldn’t crack Broers, finalizing the upset and denying the Flames a title-game rematch against UConn.
UConn had defeated Old Dominion 3-0 in Norfolk earlier in the season, but the Monarchs entered Sunday with momentum after their semifinal win. The championship match was physical and closely contested throughout.
The final was a midfield battle, with both teams focused on defense through three periods. UConn earned three penalty corners and limited Old Dominion’s transition, but neither team scored. The match shifted in the fourth quarter after a key video review.
Early in the final frame, officials overturned a referral, awarding Old Dominion a penalty corner. ODU didn’t miss their opportunity. Madison Zalewski finished a pass from Serena Langendoen at 47:48 to put ODU ahead 1-0 and put UConn in an uncomfortable position to chase the game.
With under five minutes left, head coach Paul Caddy pulled McKenna for an extra field player, bringing on Ellie Goldstein to push for an equalizer. Ninety seconds later, after a shot off the post by Josi John, ODU’s Sofia Marciano set up Cosima Perleth for a goal at 57:06, making it 2-0.
UConn kept pressing and earned a penalty corner in the final seconds. Milou Heuker inserted, and Emma Larit scored unassisted with 16 seconds left. The Huskies could not find another goal before time expired, and the game ended 2-1.
The win earned Old Dominion the Big East’s automatic NCAA berth. UConn, 15-2 overall, awaits its postseason placement in the NCAA Selection Show, where they are expected to earn a high at-large seed.