STORRS, Conn. – The Texas A&M soccer team ended nonconference play on a sour note as the Connecticut Huskies rolled to a 6-0 victory Sunday afternoon at Morrone Stadium before a school-record crowd of 2,403. The Aggies (5-3) couldn’t contain an efficient attack by UConn, which scored on six of its nine shots-on-goal, though Texas A&M owned a 13-12 edge in shots.
The corner kicks were even at 2-2, but the opportunistic Huskies were able to convert on both of their chances. UConn (6-1-1) scored in the 17th minute off a corner kick goal to jump-start it toward a sixth straight victory. Joyce Ryder served a corner kick into the box.
Graduate student Lucy Cappadona headed it toward the goal line and senior Maddie Fried knocked it home for her second goal of the season. It looked like it would be 1-0 at halftime, but a free kick from a dangerous spot and a lightning quick counterattack gave the Huskies two goals in a span of 41 seconds. UConn’s Sophie McCarthy hammered home her first goal of the season off the free kick.
Anna Carson served in the free kick with freshman Taylor Jenkins having her header chance saved by the keeper, but then McCarthy was there to put home the rebound. Initially the play was ruled offside but the officials reviewed the play and overturned the call. UConn junior Chioma Okafor quickly maneuvered past a defender and played a perfect cross to sophomore Brooke Walonis who powered home the cross for her first goal of the season to make it 3-0.
The Aggies were aggressive early in the second stanza, but UConn struck again 2:15 into the half with Ryder scoring off the crossbar from 35 yards. UConn sophomore Anaya Johnson assisted. She had missed the last seven games while playing for the U20 Canadian National team in the World Cup.
She scored her first goal of the year in the 52nd minute to make it 5-0. McCarthy capped the scoring with her first career brace at UConn, on a beautiful service from junior Abbey Merchant on a corner kick. UConn played a season-high 25 players with every on logging at least 12 minutes.
UConn’s Chioma Okafor entered the contest having scored six of the Huskies’ 13 goals. The Aggies held her without a shot, but UConn’s other players picked up the slack. A&M, which had posted a 2-0 victory at Central Connecticut State on Thursday, will open Southeastern Conference action at Missouri at 7 p.
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