University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Denver
Big Second Half Lifts Denver Past UConn, 13-5
3/24/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
STORRS, Conn. - The No. 23 nationally ranked Denver Pioneers outscored UConn 7-1 in the second half on the way to a 13-5 win over the Huskies in a BIG EAST match-up Saturday afternoon from the George J. Sherman Family Sports Complex. The Huskies drop to 5-5 overall and 1-1 in the BIG EAST with the loss.
Denver, improved to 5-3 and 1-1 in the league, made their first-ever trip to Storrs and remained unbeaten against the Huskies all-time (3-0). Freshman Quintin Hoch-Bullen led the Pioneers' big second half with four of her career-high five goals coming during the second stanza.
Fellow rookie Eliza Radochonski scored all three of her goals in the second half, her first coming 1:28 into play to begin what was a 6-0 run for Denver until the Huskies finally scored with 9:08 left in the game. The Pioneers outshot the Huskies 38-24 in the game and 21-13 in the second half. Denver converted five-of-nine free-positions attempts, four of six in the second half.
The Pioneers opened the scoring just 55 seconds into the game on Saturday before back-to-back UConn goals from senior Grace Nolan (Marcellus, N.Y.), the first of two, and junior Caitlin Leary (Suffern, N.Y.) gave the Huskies their only lead on Saturday with 19:43 on the clock.
Leary's second goal of the afternoon tied the game at 3-3 at 13:13 but Denver's Molly Little buried her second just 10 seconds later, coming right off the ensuing draw to put the Pioneers in front for good. Denver carried a 6-4 lead into halftime and offensively took over in the second half.
The Huskies were held to a season-low five goals with Nolan and Leary each scoring twice. Freshman Sydney Watson (Prince Frederick, Md.) had UConn's other tally. Sophomore goaltender Grace Beshlian (Wantagh, N.Y.) made 12 saves in the loss.
Denver's Little won seven of Denver's 11 draw controls to go with her two goals. Junior Julia Feiss also scored twice. In goal, sophomore Carson Gregg made 11 saves to earn the win.
UConn will return to action on Saturday, March 31 when they head to Florida for a BIG EAST match-up.
