University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Butler University
BIG EAST Weekend at Butler on Tap for Huskies
3/25/2021 10:22:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
STORRS, Conn. – The UConn Huskies stay on the road this weekend and are head to Butler University for a pair of BIG EAST match-ups on Friday, March 26 and Sunday, March 28.
The Huskies are off to a 2-0 start to their league schedule thanks to a pair of wins at Marquette last week and have run their overall record to 6-2 on the season. UConn got off to a 5-2 start to the 2020 season before if came to an end due to the pandemic. The Huskies started the 2016 season 7-2 through the month of March and were 12-2 before dropping their third game that season. The Butler Bulldogs are 0-3 on the season and dropped a pair of league games at nationally ranked Denver last weekend, 17-3 and 17-5.
All-Time Series with Butler… The Huskies lead the all-time series, 2-0. UConn won the first meeting, 17-4, at home in 2017 and the following season went on the road for a 22-5 victory.
Last Time Out… On Friday, junior Lia LaPrise (Windsor, Conn.) scored six goals to lead the Huskies to a 14-13 win over the Golden Eagles. UConn got the weekend sweep on Sunday as senior Sydney Watson (Prince Fredrick, Md.) scored five and LaPrise had four with three assists in an 18-13 win. Junior Grace Coon (Marcellus, N.Y.) had a big weekend, scoring four goals in each of the games at Marquette.
BACK in a BIG EAST Groove… After playing the past two seasons in the American Athletic Conference, the Huskies are back home in the BIG EAST. The Huskies share first place in the conference standings with Denver and Georgetown, all going 2-0 last weekend.
Due to COVID-19 protocols, teams will play two-game series against each other this spring for a total of 10 league games. After this weekend's set, UConn heads back to Joseph J. Morrone Stadium for a two-game series with No. 25 nationally ranked Denver on April 9 and 11. The Huskies go to Villanova on April 16 and 18 and are back in Storrs to host Georgetown on April 23 and 25. The BIG EAST Tournament is set for May 6 and 8.
UConn qualified for the BIG EAST Tournament for five-straight years from 2013 through 2016 while head coach Katie Woods and her staff were twice named the Coach / Coaching Staff of the Year (2013, 2015).
BIG EAST Weekly Awards… Senior Sydney Watson won her third Midfielder of the Week award this season while junior Lia LaPrise was tabbed the Attacker of the Week by the league, her first honor on the year, on Monday. LaPrise was the BIG EAST's points leader last week, totaling 13 off nine goals and four assists in a 2-0 road swing at Marquette. In Friday's win she finished with a BIG EAST weekly-high six goals to go along with two ground balls. In Sunday's win, she tallied seven points off three goals and four assists, with the four dishes being the second-highest total in the conference last week. Watson filled the stat sheet, totaling 10 points off seven goals and three assists, 17 draw controls and three ground balls. In Friday's victory, the senior registered two goals, two assists and nine draw controls while adding a ground ball and caused turnover. In Sunday's win, she went for six points off five goals and an assist, while adding two ground balls and eight draw controls.
STAT Leaders… The Huskies are second in the BIG EAST in scoring, and 15th nationally, averaging 15.00 goals per game. UConn leads in shot percentage, .467 percent (120-257) and also in man-up goals (11). Defensively, the Huskies are second allowing 10.86 goals per game.
Midfielder Sydney Watson is leading the BIG EAST with 30 goals/3.75 pg. Her 30 goals is the fourth highest in the NCAA. She is third in points per game (4.38) and first in shots per game (8.00). Her 74 draw controls leads the BIG EAST and she ranks fourth nationally averaging 9.25 per game.
Attacker Lia LaPrise is leading the BIG EAST in points (36) and assists (17) and is second in points per game (4.50) and third in assists per game (2.12).
Defensively, junior goaltender Landyn White (Alpharetta, Ga.) leads the league in total saves (68) and saves per game (8.50). She has an 11.34 goals against average and a .453 save percentage, both third in the league.
Sophomore Ariana Kline (Reading, Pa.) and grad student Alyssa Conklin (Sloatsburg, N.Y.) are among the league leaders in caused turnovers. Kline is second in the league with 14 caused turnovers, 1.75 per game while Conklin has 12 on the year, a 1.50 per game average, to rank seventh. Conklin is also second in the league averaging 2.75 ground balls per game.
Sydney Watson Added to the Tewaaraton Watch List... Senior Sydney Watson has been named to the 2021 Tewaaraton Award women's watch lists announced by the Tewaaraton Foundation. The award honors the top male and female college lacrosse player in the United States. Watson is in the midst of sensational senior season, having scored 23 goals with two assists in the first six games. The senior midfielder also has a team-leading 57 draw controls.
Preseason Polls and Awards… The Huskies were tabbed 4th in the Preseason BIG EAST Coaches' Poll while senior Sydney Watson and junior Lia LaPrise were named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST team. Watson was a unanimous pick.
