Women's Soccer Wraps Up Successful Season

When compared to last year, the women's soccer team outdid itself - making it to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament this year after winning on the road each round, ultimately falling, 3-2, in a double overtime loss to Florida State.

"The season was very good," said head coach Len Tsantiris. "We're, I think, we're just as good as anybody."

When the times were good, they were really good for the Huskies, who cruised on an 11-game unbeaten streak, highlighted by good-luck pink hair streaks. At that time, Erin Clark said "The morale is pretty high."

But the closing weeks of the season would test the Huskies (14-6-2), as they finished 12-4-1 for the regular season with a 2-2 record in the last two weekends. The following weekend, the team faced No. 3 Georgetown in the second round of the Big East tournament.

Before that game, Tsantiris said "We're playing a very good team so we just have to play better. We haven't played well lately. We're not as mobile. We didn't work as hard as we used to. If we don't, we'll be done."

It appeared that the team was not on top of its game that day, falling 1-0 to the Hoyas on a controversial penalty kick that put the Huskies' postseason fate temporarily on hold. By then, all they could do was wait to see what the times would bring - and they hoped it would be a tournament bid.

"We had everything," Tsantiris said after his players walked off the field with their heads hanging and tears streaming down their faces.

Brittany Taylor called the team's effort ineffective. Co-captain Meghan Schnur said that the Huskies "dominated them. I know we were the better team."

Following the Elite Eight, Tsantiris again said that luck played a big part in the way that the final game turned out for the Huskies, one that he called a heartbreaker.

"Not to take away credit from Florida State, they played a great game," he said. "Maybe they would've won. But those goals were kind of lucky."

Yet, Tsantiris said that that was what soccer was about - not being guaranteed a win no matter how well you play "especially when the two teams are evenly-matched."

Over the course of the season, it seemed that the team was never satisfied with just settling, even with six straight wins. Over the course of the season, Schnur said that the team had so much potential and that it could do so much more. "We know how well we can play," she said. After Senior Day, Schnur was certain that the team would come back to Morrone Stadium for the postseason. The Huskies did not.

But despite all of the ups and downs this season, Tsantiris is optimistic when he reflects on the way his team performed, who said late in the season that his team was "driven to do well."

"Looking back, we performed really well against top teams," he said Thursday. "There's not a difference between us and them. Towards the end, we beat some really good teams. We didn't give up many goals, which was big ... We made the right strides as a team."

Goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe, considered by her teammates and coach to be crucial to the game, said she had total confidence in her team and it showed when she was out on the field.

"I never have a doubt," she said after UConn's scoreless tie with Rutgers in early October about the team's ability to defend and play well.

Throughout the course of the season, the one thing that remained consistently good was the team's defense - the aspect of the game that Tsantiris had said the team worked on before the season even started. It appeared all of the effort paid off, as the Huskies never gave up more than one goal to an opponent during the regular season, with the exception of a 2-1 overtime loss to Notre Dame in late October.

Tsantiris credits his team's success this year with the leadership of his seniors: Schnur, Karyn Riviere, Alex Zedros and Sarah MacIsaac, who he said allowed the team to rally around them.

"It's a tribute to our seniors," he said. "They were helping out, helping us out, helping the team believe that we can do it. They're remarkable kids all the way around. One is an established player and the others developed to be big-time players in college ... Right now, they're as good as they can get."

Rutgers head coach Glenn Crook called the Huskies "one of the elite teams in the Big East" after the teams tied and said that he has respect for what they have done.

"If we can have a long winning tradition like Lenny, then I will categorize us with them," Crook said.

This year also marked a personal milestone for Tsantiris, who won his 450th game against Seton Hall Oct. 7. But Tsantiris wanted no part of the limelight, saying "I don't think about it. They're the team's wins. I don't play."

As for next year, UConn's coach said that the seniors "left their stamp. Hopefully, the younger kids continue."

For now, Tsantiris quest for his first national title in 26 tries will have to wait at least another season.

Contact Brittany Perotti at Brittany.Perotti@UConn.edu.