No. 5 UConn blanks No. 14 Virginia

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Junior forward Charlotte Veitner had a career-day on a big stage for the No. 5 University of Connecticut field hockey team, helping the Huskies beat No. 14 Virginia by an 8-0 margin on Sunday.

Veitner had six goals (12 points) in the game, after scoring just two in the first six games of the season. The relentless attacker helped UConn (7-0) score a big victory over the Cavaliers — capping off a strong weekend for the Huskies.

Sophomore Amanda Collins scored her sixth goal of the season, while senior Olivia Bolles recorded her first to round out UConn’s offensive attack. Collins added an assist in the game.

Senior Anna Middendorf, junior Casey Umstead and freshman Svea Boker each had an assist in the dominant win. With Middendorf’s two goals on Friday at No. 13 Old Dominion, she ends the weekend with five total points.

UConn had a 17-11 shots advantage, but a 14-2 shots on goal edge — including 12 shots from Veitner, nine of which were on target. Collins and Middendorf each had two shots of their own.

Just 58 seconds into the game, Veitner tallied the game’s first goal and gave UConn an early 1-0 lead. It was the first of two scores for her in the first 35 minutes; the second came in the 19th minute when Collins hit her with a long pass for a breakaway.

The Huskies led 2-0 at halftime, but Collins waited just over two minutes into the second half to make it 3-0 after a pass from Umstead. Then it became Veitner’s game.

Starting in the 44th minute and stretching over the next 13 minutes, Veitner found the back of the cage four times. Two goals were assisted, two unassisted, as she became UConn’s leading goal scorer (8) this season in just one game.

Bolles scored in the 68th minute to complete the scoring, making it an 8-0 final.

No. 5 UConn beat No. 13 Old Dominion and No. 14 Virginia on the road this weekend, giving it momentum heading into next weekend. The Huskies host Temple on Friday at 3 p.m. E.T. in their second Big East game of the season.