University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
(18-3)
Liberty
(13-6)
No. 4 Field Hockey Win 7th Straight Big East Tournament Title
11/4/2018 4:05:00 PM | Field Hockey
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The top-seeded UConn field hockey team captured its seventh-straight Big East Tournament Championship with a 5-3 win over second-seeded Liberty on Sunday afternoon.
The win earns the Huskies an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and the field of 18 team will be unveiled tonight on the NCAA Selection Show on NCAA.com.
The tightly contested championship match went back and forth between the top two teams in the Big East and the Flames benefited from a great show of support from their home crowd.
UConn quickly jumped in front on a goal from senior captain Amanda Collins just 47 seconds into the match. Collins batted the ball home after a brief scrum in front of the goal.
Freshman Abby Gooderham helped the Huskies stay ahead with a defensive save on a ball destined for the cage a few moments after Collins gave UConn the lead.
The Flames and Huskies traded goals for the remainder of the half with senior captain Amelia Iacobucci (16:07) and Antonia Tiedtke (33:05) tallying goals to give UConn a 3-2 lead at halftime.
The Huskies showed their championship mojo after the Flames knotted the game 3-3 at 44:01 in the second half. UConn immediately responded with a goal from Svea Boker on a feed from Jessica Dembrowski at 45:16.
Just 55 seconds later sophomore Vivienne Tucker scored her fourth goal of the season to give UConn some much needed breathing room.
UConn was solid defensively and received a big time save from redshirt freshman Cheyenne Sprecher with eight minutes remaining to keep it a 5-3 UConn lead. From there, the Huskies controlled possession and salted the game away.
With their efforts in the tournament, Iacobucci, Boker, Collins, Cecile Pieper and Sprecher received All-Big East Tournament honors. Pieper was named the Big East Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
The Huskies captured their 18th Big East Tournament Championships with the win on Sunday and are advancing to their 30th NCAA Tournament as a program.
Head coach Nancy Stevens earned her 500th win at UConn. She is the all-time wins leader in NCAA Division I with 680.
Team Stats
COLLINS, Amanda (9)
In front of goal unassisted
0:47
MORONI, Agueda (26)
Assisted By: JONES, Kendra , FORTENBAUGH, Mallory
Shot off corner into right side
11:32
IACOBUCCI, Amelia (12)
Assisted By: GOODERHAM, Abby
Redirect off corner shot from 23
16:01
FORTENBAUGH, Mallory (4)
Assisted By: MORONI, Agueda
Shot off cross from corner
31:21
TIEDTKE, Antonia (6)
Scored from left side
33:05
VAN AARLE, Moniek (5)
Assisted By: MORONI, Agueda
Tipped off corner shot
44:01
BOKER, Svea (17)
Assisted By: DEMBROWSKI, Jessica
Crossing pass, shot in
45:16
TUCKER, Vivienne (4)
Scored on rebound
46:11
