UMass (10-4, 7-0 A10) took an early lead against the UConn Huskies (8-6, 3-1 Big East) and never looked back. Attacker Fiona McGowan was a huge factor in the UMass attack posting three goals and seven assists for 10 points. This was her second 10-point game of the season.
Attacker Kassidy Morris was the star of the Minutewomen’s offensive attack. Morris posted seven goals and one assist giving her eight points on the night, a new career-high for her. In the previous game against VCU, Morris posted seven goals as well. She has hit her stride heading towards the A10 conference tournament.
Jordan Dean put together an impressive night as well, winning 19 draws for the Minutewomen bringing her to 203 on the season which leads the NCAA. Late in the fourth quarter, Dean picked up her 395th career draw control which moved her into first place in program history.
Draw controls were a key area where the Minutewomen excelled in the contest. UMass won 25 of 30 draws, including the first four of the game.
UMass came out of the gate firing on all cylinders scoring four goals in the first two minutes of the game. Attacker Charlotte Wilmoth scored the third goal of the evening and tacked on four of her own throughout the night. Wilmoth has now reached the 100 career-goal mark for the Minutewomen.
After starting with a 5-0 lead, UConn began to power back by limiting turnovers and maintaining longer possessions. Early in the second, Attacker Rayea Davis of UConn brought the score to 6-4. However, the Minutewomen proceeded to score seven unanswered goals.
Four of the seven goals came off of the stick of Morris, and McGowan also notched four assists of her own during that stretch.
Overall, the Minutewomen outscored the Huskies 6-2 in the third quarter giving them a 10-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Davis continued to find momentum for UConn scoring three goals in the fourth quarter, but UMass countered all of them, maintaining their 10-point lead to pick up a 19-9 victory.
Goalie Catrina Tobin put together a solid performance posting five saves on the evening. She has been a key piece in the UMass winning streak.
One area where the Minutewomen struggled was the turnover battle. They lost the turnover margin 21-13 and the caused turnovers battle 11-7.
Before that contest, the Minutewomen will return to Garber Field on Apr. 20 to take on the George Washington Revolutionaries (4-11, 1-6 A10). GW has lost five of their last six games.
The Revolutionaries squad is led by graduate attacker Emma Nowakowski who has posted 43 goals this season which leads the team. Fellow graduate attacker Desiree Kleberg has been right behind her with 31 goals and 12 assists on the season.
Midfielder Stella Ray has also been a key contributor for GW this season. She has caused a team-leading 17 turnovers while also leading the team with 80 draw controls this season.
If UMass and Richmond both win this weekend they will be set for a major contest on Apr. 27 to determine who will be the number one seed heading into the A10 tournament.
