University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Drexel
Lacrosse Falls in Season Opener
2/6/2026 5:37:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
PHILADELPHIA, Pa.- UConn women's lacrosse comeback effort came up short on Friday, falling to the Drexel Dragons by a score of 12-11 in double overtime at Vidas Athletic Complex in the season opener for both teams.
How it Happened:
The Huskies got on the board early, with Hadley Bethke finding the back of the net for the first time in her collegiate career, converting on a feed from Megan O'Brien. Drexel's Kate Quinn evened the score on a free position shot, bringing the Dragons level at 1-1. Sofia Oximana made three saves in the first seven five minutes to keep the score tied. Despite being a woman down, Caroline Senich found the back of the net for Drexel, giving the hosts a 2-1 lead in the first quarter.
Bethke began the second quarter in similar fashion, scoring a woman-down goal on another feed from O'Brien to bring UConn even at 2-2. Drexel regained the lead two minutes later, thanks to a goal from Anne Madden that put the Dragons ahead 3-2. Madden stayed hot in the second quarter, scoring the next two goals to extend the Drexel advantage to 5-2. Rayea Davis scored her first goal of the season, cutting the Dragon lead to 5-3.
Quinn scored her second of the afternoon on the free position, putting the Dragons up three goals again. O'Brien scored her first goal of the season, tucking one past the Drexel defense to bring UConn within two goals at 6-4. Kelsey Neary brought the Huskies within one with her first goal of the year, as Drexel took a 6-5 lead into the break.
Drexel regained breathing room early in the third quarter, with Senich and Mary Claire Heubeck tallying goals to go ahead 8-5. Madden scored her fourth goal of the day on a free position to pad the Dragon lead to 9-5. Neary capitalized on the advantage, scoring her second of the day following a Drexel yellow card to snip the Dragon lead to 9-6. Quinn completed the hat trick on the free position, ratcheting up Drexel's advantage to 10-6.
Ava Plata scored her first goal of the season, again bringing UConn within three at 10-7. After Oximana saved a free position shot, Plata scored her second of the day and Bethke capped off the hat trick to bring UConn within one at 10-9. The freshman continued her stellar debut, scoring her fourth to tie the score at 10-10.
Quinn put the Dragons back in front 11-10 with her fourth goal of the day, but Bethke's staggering fifth goal of the game sent the game into overtime knotted at 11-11.
Nneither side could capitalize in the first overtime despite multiple green cards. With one minute left in double overtime, Bea Buckley scored on a free position shot to lift the Dragons to a 12-11 season-opening victory.
Numbers and Notes:
- Bethke's five goals are the most scored by a UConn freshman since Sydney Watson (4/22/18 against Vanderbilt)
- Beran's career-high eight ground balls are the most recorded by a Husky in a single-game since Grace Beshilian (4/20/19 vs Florida)
- Beran's career-high five caused turnovers were the most in a single game by a Husky since Rylee Brown (3/30/24 vs Marquette)
- Oximana set a new career high with 10 saves on the day
- O'Brien matched her career-high with five points (3/1/25 vs UMass)
Up Next: The Huskies will take on Fairfield on Wednesday afternoon at 3:00pm. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
