UConn Drops Season Opener, 2-0

Friday, August 17

Brookline Mass.

6:00 PM

University of Connecticut

0-1-0

Northeastern

1-0-0

Connecticut

Northeastern

8/17/2018 9:25:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

BROOKLINE, Mass. – The UConn women's soccer team opened the 2018 season with a 2-0 defeat to Northeastern on Friday night at Parsons Field.

The match started with a one hour and four minute delay due to thunderstorms. When the teams finally came back out it was UConn's goalkeeper that thrived early on.

Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Randi Palacios, making her first career start, recorded five saves in the first half and finished the game with a total of seven.

Palacios first big save came in the 24^th minute on a diving block at the top of the box. Northeastern chipped the ball over the UConn defense but Palacios came up with the stop.

Moments later in the 28^th minute, Palacios made a kick save in the middle of the box and recovered to catch a second shot attempt to keep the game knotted at zero.

Northeastern capitalized in the 42^nd minute on a UConn turnover in the midfield. The home side quickly lobbed the ball forward behind the UConn defense and Olivia Ware finished from 10 yards out.

Northeastern added to its lead in the 71^st minute off a corner kick. Lizzie George sent the ball inside the six and Julianne Ross headed home her first tally of the season.

UConn received its best scoring opportunity in the 89^th minute. Sophomore Melina Couzis banged her shot attempt off the crossbar from just outside the box.

UConn was outshot 17-9 on the night.

UConn drops to 0-1 on the season and will host its home opener on Monday, August 20 against Syracuse at 6 p.m.

Notes

Friday's match was the first career contest for head coach Margaret Rodriguez.
August 17 is the earliest regular season opener for UConn in the history of the program. The Huskies played 63 minutes vs. UCLA in 2012 on August 17 but the game was cancelled due to torrential rain.
Randi Palacios registered seven saves in her first career start for the Huskies.
Four Huskies made their first career start on Friday; Palacios, Aline Christen, Izzy Lynch and Pato Jerzak.