STORRS, Conn. – Despite nine saves from junior goalkeeper Celia Braun, the Boston University women's soccer team dropped a 2-0 decision to BIG EAST foe UConn on Sunday evening at Morrone Stadium.
 
Both sides played to a scoreless draw in the first half, as Braun tallied four saves for BU (1-1) in the frame. However, the Huskies (1-0) broke the ice in the 62nd minute on Abbey Jones' tally, then added an insurance goal from Chioma Okafor in the 79th minute.
 
Sophomore Giulianna Gianino led the Terriers with four shots, one of which was on target. Freshman Samantha Aronson provided BU's other shot on goal in the second half.
 
Okafor and Jones combined to take nine shots on the evening, six from the former. Kaitlyn Mahoney collected two saves between the posts.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Braun made her first save on Sophia McCarthy's right-footed shot in the 10th minute, crouching down on the attempt from the right side of the box.
• She dove to her left to poke away Okafor's blast less than two minutes later, after Okafor spun around a defender to break free inside the box. UConn's ensuing two corner kicks were turned away.
• BU received a free kick in the 21st minute, but Gianino's flick into the box was headed out.
• After coming off the bench midway through the first half, junior Erin Sullenberger nearly had BU's first offensive chance in the 25th minute after the Terriers coaxed a UConn turnover at midfield, but she couldn't put the touch on a 20-yard chance.
• With under five minutes left, BU rocketed off their first two shots of the contest. Gianino's spin move created space for a 20-yard chance that zipped over the crossbar, and freshman Kaiya Stewart kept the ball alive to fling a chance wide right.
• Monaco settled a pass just outside the box for a right-footed strike, but Braun swarmed the shot on the bounce with 16 second until half to preserve the scoreless contest.
• BU began the second with a close play as Aronson's cross from the left corner wasn't handled cleanly, but Mahoney collected the loose ball before a Terrier caught up to the play.
• After UConn was assessed a yellow card in the 57th minute, Aronson deked to her right from 25 yards out and lined up a shot that Mahoney squared up for a save.
• The Terriers nearly went in front in the 61st minute when a service into the box saw sophomore Natalie Godoy poke the ball to senior Lily Matthews near the right post. Matthews' one touch rang off the post.
• Moments later, Jones ripped a 30-yard shot over Braun's head and into the upper-right corner for the game's first goal.
• Seven minutes after a Huskies' goal was called offside, Okafor barreled down the left wing in the 79th minute and fended off multiple defenders. Braun came out of net to challenge her, but the Preseason All-BIG EAST pick beat her in the lower-right corner to extend UConn's lead.

STATS

• Shots favored UConn 20-7, and 11-2 on target.
• The Huskies generated 10 corner kicks, while the Terriers did not have any on the evening.
• UConn's Jessica Mazo received the game's only yellow card.
• Twenty Terriers saw time on the pitch.

NOTES

• BU snaped its unbeaten road opener streak at four games.
• Braun fell one save shy of her career-high, set on Sept. 24, 2022 against Navy. She now has four-career matches with eight or more stops.
• The Terriers did not record a corner kick for the first time since Aug. 23, 2018.
• Godoy made her first-career start, while freshman Lauren Duke appeared in her first collegiate game.
• Senior Michelle Williams, junior Hugrún Helgadóttir, and sophomore Shayla Brown each made their 2023 debuts.
• The all-time series between BU and UConn now stands 7-5 in the Huskies' favor.

UP NEXT

• The Terriers return to Nickerson Field for a two-game homestand, first welcoming Rhode Island on Thursday (Aug. 24). Opening kick is set for 4 p.m.