McNeely was outstanding in net for the Huskies, turning away eight shots on goal, including several key saves in the second half. Her counterpart, Virginia's Sarah Handley, also played well, making five saves, but McNeely's dominance proved to be the difference.
"Paige was a rock in goal today," said head coach Katie Woods. "She made some incredible saves that really kept us in the game. She deserves a lot of credit for this win."
On the offensive end, Stewart led the way for UConn with two goals and one assist. The Huskies' leading scorer, Stewart has now tallied eight goals and four assists in the past three games.
"Katie is playing with a lot of confidence right now," said Woods. "She's a great leader for our team and she's always looking to make big plays."
UConn scored the game's first two goals, but Virginia rallied to tie the game early in the second half. The Huskies responded with two unanswered goals, including Stewart's second of the game, to secure the victory.
"This was a great win for our team," said Woods. "We knew Virginia was going to be a tough opponent, but our players stepped up and played with a lot of heart and determination. We're excited to continue to build on this momentum as we head into the final stretch of the regular season."
With the win, UConn improves to 9-1 overall and 2-0 in American Athletic Conference play. The Huskies will next travel to Philadelphia to face Temple on Friday, March 17th.
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