University of Connecticut Athletics
Feature: Trio of Freshmen Playing Key Roles for Huskies
9/12/2019 9:44:00 AM | Women's Soccer
by Danny Barletta
The UConn women's soccer team is off to a good start in 2019. They are 3-2-1 through six games, almost matching their win total from all of last season already. At least some of their newfound success can be attributed to the arrival of Jaqueline Harnett, Emma Zaccagnini and Jessica Mazo to Storrs this year.
All three of these freshmen have started all six games for the Huskies this season and have been some of the best performers on the team to this point. After the most recent win over BU on Sunday, head coach Margaret Rodriguez gave high praise to her trio of freshmen stars.
"We're a young team," Rodriguez said. "We're a really young team, and having our freshmen come in and make that impact, they are just solid players. I think they've been our three most consistent players from day one."
Harnett, a defender from Wantage, New Jersey, has gotten off to a scorching hot start to her UConn career. She scored her first career goal, a game-tying goal against Central Connecticut State, in just her third game and recorded her first assist on a corner kick the next game vs. Colgate. She is currently tied for second on the team with three points.
Welcome to Storrs, Jackie!
— UConn Women's Soccer (@UConnWSOC) August 30, 2019
Our freshman defender, @jackieharnett14, ties this one up late in the second half! #RollSkies pic.twitter.com/PHd5LZXBX3
Harnett said she decided to come to UConn after her official visit, and cited the campus and the coaches' mentality as reasons why she loved the school. She said she has had a blast playing soccer for UConn so far.
"I just love the energy and the atmosphere," Harnett said. "This team is a great team, and we have great coaches. It's just been amazing to be part of the program and doing the things that we're doing has just been great."
In addition to her offensive prowess, Harnett is also an exceptional one-on-one defender.
Zaccagnini is a midfielder from Watertown, Connecticut, and she said being from Connecticut definitely factored in her decision to come to UConn.
"It's close to home," Zaccagnini said. "I'm definitely a family person. I wanted to be able to see my family a lot so they could come to our games, and I'm representing the state I was born and raised in."
Zaccagnini has been a constant presence on the field this year for the Huskies. She's a great two-way player and is always very involved in the passing game. However, she said that she really wants to score at least one goal during her freshman season.
She explained how cool it has been for her to come in and start right away.
"I'm just so excited and grateful," Zaccagnini said. "Coming in, I wasn't really sure if I was going to start. I'm just so happy because I really feel like I fit in with the team very well. I feel so comfortable on the ball and playing with them."
Zaccagnini said that she feels that she and her freshmen teammates have come in and really worked hard to make an impact despite being the youngest players.
"I think our work rate is just phenomenal," she said. "We come in and obviously the girls are a little bigger than us, a lot older, but I feel like we hold our ground and we're just able to stay with them and make a big impact."
Mazo, a midfielder from Bridgeport, was the highest recruit out of the three, winning the 2018 High School Girls' National Player of the Year. She also referenced the coaches and campus as her reasons for picking UConn.
Described as a "bulldog" by Rodriguez, Mazo is always one of the hardest working players on the field. Mazo said her biggest strength is her work ethic and grit. She also said that coming in with expectations on her to perform right away were tough but she's ready for the task.
"It's a huge responsibility," Mazo said. "It's a lot to live up to, but I love challenges and I'm always up to perform."
Mazo, like Zaccagnini, is still looking for her first points as a Husky, which is hard to believe given that she leads the team in shots with 18. It seems like she's involved on every single offensive opportunity, and it's only a matter of time before she finds the back of the net.
Mazo said that she really loves the atmosphere of this team.
"It's very supportive," she said. "Everybody rallies around each other. We all want to win. It's great."
The three freshmen emphasized team-first mentalities, and they all have a goal to win the American Athletic Conference this year.
Harnett, Zaccagnini and Mazo all carry themselves like veterans already, so the future of the program with them at the helm looks very bright.
"They don't swing emotionally high or low," Rodriguez said. "They do their job, and they do their job really well. I think our team is feeding off of that. Our future with those kids, and we have a couple of other freshmen coming in, looks bright."
