Villanova (6-6, 1-3) will face its toughest game of the season on Friday when it hosts BIG EAST leader No. 3 UConn (12-2, 4-0).
Although it will be a tough task, the Wildcats have some offensive weapons that can help make a difference in the game.
Senior forward
Lydia Sydnor leads the BIG EAST in points (31), points per game (avg. 2.58), goals (13) and goals per game (avg. 1.08).
Sydnor is coming off a three-goal game.
This season she's tallied 13 goals and five assists for a team-high 31 points.
She's also tied for third in the league for her two game winning goals this year.
Villanova also has the reigning BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week in senior forward
Megan Vermeil on its side.
Vermeil is coming off her second hat trick game of her college career versus La Salle on Sunday and is second on the team in points with 17 points from her seven goals and three assists.
Villanova also has a strong defensive presence.
The Wildcats are tied with Temple in the conference for number of defensive saves.
The team already has five this season.
Senior back
Christen Pennington and sophomore back
Devyn Aschenbach both have two this season and are tied with each other for third most in the conference.
Pennington is ranked No. 3 on the NCAA for Division 1 Career defensive saves with 15 in the last three and a half seasons.
The Wildcats also have the longest unbeaten streak in the league at three wins in a row.
Scouting UConn
The Huskies lead the BIG EAST in 10 statistical team categories:
- Shutouts (8)
- Goals against average (avg .78)
- Shots (255)
- Shots per game (avg. 18.21)
- Goals scored (44)
- Goals allowed per game (avg .79),
- Assists (41)
- Assists per game (avg. 2.93)
- Penalty corners (102)
- Goals off corners (17).
UConn's biggest offensive weapon is Svea Boker, who leads the team in goals (12) and points (29).
Huskies Antonia Tiedtke (.71) and Sophie Hamilton (.57) own the No. 1 and No. 2 spot in the conference with assists per game.
UConn has won the last seven BIG EAST Conference Championships.
Coaching Familiarity
Second-year Villanova assistant coach
Karlie Heistand is a UConn graduate and played for its field hockey team for four years.
As a midfielder for the Huskies, Heistand helped UConn to two NCAA Championships in 2014 and 2017 and graduated as part of the most successful class in program history with an 87-6 record.
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