Marquette women’s soccer hadn’t beat UConn since it rejoined the Big East in 2020, with its last win against the Huskies coming in 2012.
And that didn’t change Sunday afternoon as the Golden Eagles (4-8-3, 1-3-1 Big East) fell to the Huskies 3-0 (8-3-3, 2-2-2 Big East) at Valley Fields.
“We played a really quality UConn team,” Marquette head coach Chris Allen said. “Soccer, a low-scoring game, is a game of moments. And I thought they really did a great job of taking advantage of their moments. They have some special players, but I’m pretty disappointed.”
The loss marks the seventh time Marquette has been shutout this season.
UConn piles on the goals
The Huskies didn’t waste any time getting ahead in Sunday’s match.
In the 16th minute, junior forward Chioma Okafor crossed the ball across the box to senior midfielder Abbey Jones, who controlled it and slotted into the back of the net to put her team on the board first.
Abbey Puts Us In Front! #TogetherWeRise pic.twitter.com/EUUezHRNSC
— UConn Women’s Soccer (@UConnWSOC) October 13, 2024
11 minutes later, senior midfielder Sophie McCarthy fired a ball into the box on a corner kick and graduate student Lucy Cappadona headed it home, doubling UConn’s lead.
In the second half, Jones scored her second goal of the game in the 64th minute, volleying a long ball past senior goalkeeper Chloe Olson. The goal served as the nail in the coffin for Marquette as it suffered its eighth loss of the year.
Abbey with her second of the game! #TogetherWeRise pic.twitter.com/NqpAWLA63I
— UConn Women’s Soccer (@UConnWSOC) October 13, 2024
“In the second half, we just never really found our footing,” Allen said. “They scored that early second half goal, and unfortunately, you just have to ride it out at that point.”
Limiting the Big East’s leading scorer
Okafor leads the conference in goals (11) and points (24), and the Blantyre, Malawi native is also tied for eighth in the nation with her 11 goals. But despite the result, Marquette was able to hold her to just two shots.
“She drew a lot of our defenders to her, and a player like that when you put a lot of numbers to her, then she opens up her teammates,” Allen said. “Our crossing, finishing and defending in the box need to do a better job, but we had to throw numbers at her.”
Before today, Okafor had scored a goal in each of her last five matches.
Up next
Marquette will face Villanova (4-5-4, 1-1-3 Big East) Thursday at 7 p.m. CST at Valley Fields.
“It’s important that we understand that the game isn’t always won or lost on game day, a game is won or lost during preparation that goes with it,” Allen said. “We just need to sharpen some details and as a coach, I need to be doing a better job in that respect to get us ready.”
This article was written by Kaylynn Wright. She can be reached at kaylynn.wright@marquette.edu or on Twitter/X @KaylynnWrightMU.