No. 3 UConn edges No. 11 Stanford in opener

PALO ALTO, Calif. – In the final minutes of a tied game, it was senior forward Montana Fleming that gave the No. 3 Connecticut field hockey team a huge 2-1 victory over No. 11 Stanford on Friday night. 

In the 69th minute, Fleming scored off a penalty corner – assisted by junior Charlotte Veitner – to break the tie and give the Huskies (1-0) a win on opening night. 

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Though it was Fleming’s goal that put UConn ahead permanently, it was the Huskies’ stifling defense that frustrated the Cardinal the entire game. Stanford recorded just one shot for the entire game – a goal by Jessica Welch in the 58th minute. 

UConn tallied 14 shots, including a first half goal by Veitner who fired a shot over the goalie’s shoulder and into the cage. Veitner, who led the nation in scoring in 2015, found the back of the net in the eighth minute of action. 

The Huskies had eight penalty corners to Stanford’s one, proving its offensive attack to be more lethal. Freshmen Antonia Tiedtke, Svea Boker and Barbara van den Hoogen all played significant minutes in the opener. 

For Fleming, it is the sixth goal of her career and it happened at a very crucial time. Just when it seemed the game was destined for overtime, Fleming’s late-game dramatics scored the Huskies a valuable road win over a highly-ranked opponent.