University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Georgetown University
Huskies End Regular Season Hosting Georgetown
4/22/2021 1:27:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
STORRS, Conn. – UConn will close out the regular season this weekend playing host to Georgetown in a two-game BIG EAST series on Friday and Sunday at Joseph J. Morrone Stadium.
The Huskies will be back in the postseason for the first time since the 2016 season and will be battling for playoff seeding against the Hoyas this weekend. UConn and Georgetown enter the weekend tied for second place, both at 5-3 in the BIG EAST standings. Denver has locked in the top-seed at 8-0 while Villanova and Marquette enter the final weekend looking to lock down the fourth and final spot in the tournament. The Huskies can finish as high as second and as low as fourth after this weekend's games. The BIG EAST tournament is set for May 6 & 8 at host Georgetown.
Last Time Out… UConn split a weekend series on the road at Villanova, winning on Friday, 14-7, and falling in overtime, 13-12 on Sunday. In the series opener, senior Sydney Watson (Prince Fredrick, Md.) and junior Grace Coon (Marcellus, N.Y.) both scored six goals to fuel the offense. After falling behind 2-0, UConn put together an 8-0 run to jump in front for good. Defensively, the Huskies held Villanova to just two goals in the second half and junior goaltender Landyn White (Alpharetta, Ga.) finished with an 11 save afternoon. In the series finale, Villanova came back from down two-goals in the final minutes to force overtime and Brittany Bruno scored the game-winner with 1:26 left. UConn's Grace Coon led all Huskies with four goals and an assist in the loss and finished the weekend with 10 total goals. Senior Stephanie Palmucci (Herndon, Va.) scored three goals with an assist and junior Lia LaPrise (Windsor, Conn.) tallied two goals with two helpers.
All-time Series vs. Georgetown… The Hoyas lead the all-time series, 18-2. The two teams have not played since the 2018 season, the Huskies last in their previous stint in the BIG EAST. The Huskies two wins over Georgetown came in 2016, 9-8, and in 2015, 11-10, both at home.
Watson a 2021 Tewaaraton Award Nominee... Senior Sydney Watson is one of 25 players in the country on this season's list of nominees for the Tewaaraton Award, given annually to the top male and female college lacrosse player in the United States. Five men's and five women's finalists will be selected from these groups, to be announced in three weeks at the conclusion of the regular season.
Grace Coon Wins BIG EAST Award… Junior Grace Coon named the BIG EAST Attacker of the Week on Monday, her first career weekly award. Coon led the BIG EAST in goals and points last week as the Huskies went 1-1 and clinched a berth in the BIG EAST Championship. The junior totaled 11 points off 10 goals and an assist while adding four ground balls and a caused turnover in a split weekend at Villanova.
Stat Leaders… UConn heads into the final weekend of BIG EAST play continuing to have the top-ranked offense in the conference, averaging 14.79 goals per game, a mark that puts them 18th nationally. The Huskies are also top-ranked in the BIG EAST in shot percentage (.486), 14th nationally, and free position percentage (.479). UConn is second in scoring margin (+4.21).
Senior Sydney Watson continues to lead the conference in goals with 48, a 3.43 per game average. Watson has 13more goals on the ledger than the next closest player and she ranks eighth nationally in goals scored. She is also tops in free position goals (14), and free position percentage (.560).
The Huskies lead the BIG EAST and are 11th in the NCAA in draw controls, averaging 15.64 per game. Watson leads the charge averaging 8.92 per game, also ranking eighth in the nation.
Junior Lia LaPrise is just in front of Watson in leading the league in points with 59 and is averaging 4.21 per game. She is tops in assists having dished out 33 helpers this season, a 2.36 per game average. She ranks sixth in the NCAA in assists and 16th in points. Classmate Grace Coon is third in the conference in goals per game at 2.58 but leads the league and is third in the nation in shot percentage (.689).
Defensively, UConn is second in the BIG EAST in scoring defense at 10.30 goals allowed per game. The Huskies are tops in save percentage (.473) and in saves per game (9.50). Junior goaltender Landyn White (Alpharetta, Ga.) is fourth in the league with a 10.89 goals against average and a .456 save percentage. Sophomore defender Ariana Kline (Reading, Pa.) is fourth in the BIG EAST in caused turnovers, averaging 1.64 per game. She also has 25 grounders on the year. Graduate student Alyssa Conklin (Sloatsburg, N.Y.) leads the league in ground balls per game at 2.50 per game.
