Connecticut Wins 15th BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship
NORFOLK, VA – Connecticut captured its 15
th BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship in school history with a 7-3 victory against Temple in the title game on Sunday.
The top-seeded Huskies, ranked No. 2 nationally in the latest NFHCA Coaches’ Poll, set a tournament record for goals with 11, scoring four against fourth-seed Old Dominion and 7 against No. 2 seed Temple.
Two UConn corner attempts within the first five minutes of play were thwarted by All-BIG EAST Second Team member Haley Mitchell and the Owls’ defense.
The Huskies kept up the pressure, putting the first score of the game on the board on a Casey Umstead goal assisted by Roisin Upton. The floodgates opened after that as Pippa Lewis posted two goals within the next three minutes and Karlie Heistand found the back of the cage for the second time this season to make it a 4-0 game 10 minutes in.
Five minutes later Amanda Collins fed Charlotte Veitner on breakaway for the BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year’s first goal of the day to make it a 5-0 UConn lead.
Temple answered back with 16 minutes left in the first half on its first corner attempt as Tricia Light sent the ball in to Sarah Deck who beat the UConn keeper to shrink the Owls’ deficit to four.
After Light drew a foul on Connecticut back Megan Palmisano, Alyssa Delp slid a penalty stroke just beneath Nina Klein’s stick to make a 5-2 game with three minutes left in the half.
Rosin Upton extended the Huskies’ lead back to four shortly into the second half after Veitner sent in the ball on a corner for the senior midfielder’s 15
th goal of the year.
With under 17 minutes remaining in the contest, Delp converted her second penalty stroke of the day to bring Temple back within three.
The Connecticut defense would hold strong for the rest game, limiting the Owls to three shots.
Veitner would put the game away with her fourth goal of the tournament with two minutes remaining to give UConn the 7-3 win.
With the victory, the Huskies receive the conference’s automatic bid into the NCAA Field Hockey Championship.
Veitner was named the BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship’s Most Outstanding Player, tying the tournament record for points with 11.
Veitner was named to the All-Tournament Team along with her teammates Pippa Lewis, Anna Middendorf, Casey Umstead, and Rosin Upton.
Most Outstanding Player
Charlotte Veitner, Connecticut
All-Tournament Team
Erika Miller, Villanova
Megan Byas, Old Dominion
Chrissy Horn, Old Dominion
Alyssa Delp, Temple
Sarah Deck, Temple
Tricia Light, Temple
Pippa Lewis, Connecticut
Anna Middendorf, Connecticut
Casey Umstead, Connecticut
Roisin Upton, Connecticut
Charlotte Veitner, Connecticut