The No. 14 Massachusetts field hockey team lost to No. 5 UConn, 1-0 in a defensive struggle Sunday afternoon in Storrs, CT. The Minutewomen’s (12-4, 5-0 Atlantic 10) win streak ended at five games, while the Huskies (13-2, 4-1 Big East) remain undefeated at home.
The two top-15 ranked teams competed under a sunny sky, going nearly three quarters without scoring. With 52 seconds left in the 3rd quarter, UConn opened up the scoring, tallying the only goal of the game.
After a lengthy official review, the Huskies were awarded a penalty stroke, giving them a scoring opportunity. Junior forward Julia Bressler took advantage, shooting the ball into the bottom right of the net beating UMass goalie Myrte van Herwijnen, scoring her sixth goal in the past seven games.
The Minutewomen’s best scoring opportunity also came in the third quarter, with senior Dempsey Campbell getting a penalty corner. Paula Lorenzini took a shot that was saved by UConn keeper Natalie McKenna, with Campbell taking a rebound shot that was blocked. Right after, UMass was awarded another penalty corner yet still could not take advantage with Milaw Clause getting the defensive save for the Huskies on Elani Sherwood’s shot.
Also in the third, Sol Simone got a penalty corner opportunity for UConn midway through the quarter, resulting in a Bressler shot. The chance was stopped as van Herwijnen picked up another save, while a Juana Garcia rebound shot was blocked by the UMass defense. The Minutewomen quickly tried to counterattack with Dempsey sprinting up the field but was stopped in the Huskies’ area by sophomore defender Maia Dechiario.
The fourth quarter featured only three total shots, with UMass only taking one that was saved. With under five minutes left in the game, Minutewomen head coach Barb Weinberg decided to pull the goalie, allowing her team to play a woman up. The advantage didn’t result in a shot, with the best chance being a cross along the baseline that was stopped by McKenna, leaving two and a half minutes remaining. UConn smartly played it safe during the closing minutes of the game when possessing the ball, playing keep-away from the pressing UMass defense.
The second-highest scoring team in the country, UConn’s offense was mostly limited by a stout UMass defense, led by van Herwijnen in goal. The A-10 save percentage leader picked up a game-high five saves as the Minutewomen allowed a goal for the first time in three games.
Bressler led the game with all three of her shots being on goal and putting one into the back of the net. Juul Sauer opened the game’s shooting with a 1st quarter shot being saved five
minutes into the game. The freshman finished with three total shots, two of them on goal.
For UMass, Sherwood and Lorenzini both took two shots each, with the latter putting both on goal. Elena Cloconeanu, the Minutewomen goal leader, ended with zero shots.
UMass noticeably struggled offensively in the first half during the defensive matchup, failing to pick up a corner and only taking a single shot. Sherwood took the lone shot that weakly went wide at the end of the first quarter. Coming into the game, the Minutewomen led the country in penalty corners but were outmatched by the Huskies nine to three on Sunday.
UMass finishes the season with two A-10 matchups, the first of which will be against Richmond on Friday, Oct. 25 at 5 p.m. The Minutewomen then play the last game of the season the following Friday, hosting Davidson before the Conference Tournament begins.
Maxwell Solomon can be reached at [email protected].
