After recent losses at the hands of the Liberty Flames (5-7, 3-2 Big East) and Providence Friars (12-3, 4-1 Big East), Georgetown field hockey seeks to rebound against the powerhouse Connecticut Huskies (15-0, 5-0 Big East) on Friday.

Since beating non-conference opponent Longwood (7-8, 1-3 Mid-American) on Oct. 2, Georgetown has lost its past two games and is hoping to regain its momentum against its toughest foe yet.

Although the final score on Friday was disappointing, the Hoyas put up a strong fight against the Friars. Despite being outshot 27 to 8, 9 to 4 in the first half and 16 to 4 in the second, Georgetown was able to hold a one-goal lead for a large duration of the game, much to the credit of senior goalkeeper Rachel Skonecki. Skonecki was able to keep the Hoyas in the game with 11 saves. Despite her performance, Providence went on to win the game 3-2 in overtime. The loss was Georgetown’s first in its last three games, and only its fourth in the last 11.

Senior defender and co-captain Molly Thompson described the game as a difficult loss but reinforced that there were plenty of positives. She praised the play of her fellow teammate, Skonecki.

“In every game, [Skonecki’s] our rock, a leader on the field, and often sets the tone for us on the defensive end with her stellar play. We really value and appreciate her consistent, level play and excitement in facing opponents,” Thompson said.

Georgetown will rely upon Skonecki and the rest of the back line as it prepares to host No. 1 Connecticut (15-0, 5-0 Big East) next weekend. The Huskies boast a talented squad, including junior forward Charlotte Veitner. Veitner leads the nation in goals scored with 22,  scoring 1.54 goals on average per game. Junior goalkeeper Nina Klein is also a strong part of the Huskies’ defense, allowing an average of 0.85 goals per game this season.

“We have to prepare really, really well for them,” Thompson said.

She sees the matchup as an a unique opportunity to turn heads and referenced last year’s result, an 8-0 loss, as a way to correct mistakes they see on game film to better prepare for Friday’s matchup.

As one of the leaders of the Hoyas’ defense, Thompson stressed the constant effort the team will need in order to have a better showing against the Huskies this year.

She highlighted their emphasis on staying focused for the entire 70 minutes and was confident in her team.

“We’ve been very successful following a goal on both sides, especially for the first five minutes,” Thompson said.

Although the Huskies have been the best team in the Big East statistically this year, the Hoyas do not plan on backing down from the challenge. Thompson maintains the team will not fear another team just because they are undefeated.

“UConn has talented girls, but we’re not going to change what we’re doing because we’ve been preparing for every team like they were UConn. We’ll definitely keep them in mind, but it’s not something new,” Thompson said.

Thompson cited Coach Soares as a source of motivation for the team. “She has definitely established a sense of urgency for the remainder of these games, something we take pride in and know the importance of,” Thompson said.

The Hoyas face off against the Huskies at 1 p.m. on Oct. 21 at Cooper Field. After their game against the Huskies, the Hoyas will host the Towson Tigers (2-13, 0-3 Colonial Athletic Association), travel to Villanova to face the Wildcats (4-11, 1-4 Big East), and close out their season against the LaSalle Explorers (7-7, 4-2 Atlantic 10) in Philadelphia, Pa.