Spring Break
Loss to Notre Dame ends Huskies' streak
Dennis Rizzo
Issue date: 11/13/08 Section: Sports
Things are supposed to change after 27 years.
In 1981, IBM released the first personal computer, Tom Cruise appeared in his first feature film and America believed it was a milestone to elect an actor as president.
One thing at UConn, however, did not change.
Twenty seven years ago, the UConn women's soccer team qualified for the first NCAA women's soccer tournament. The Huskies qualified again in 1982. And again in 1983. And again in 1984…
Since 1981, the team has won 16 Big East Northeast division championships, two Big East tournament Championships and made the NCAA tournament finals four times. Possibly the most impressive streak during that time however was 26 consecutive years of qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.
This year though, that streak finally came to an end.
"It was a struggle all season," said senior goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe. "It was an up-and-down season and it took a while to find ourselves. It was just too late."
Before the Big East finals, the Huskies knocked out a Georgetown team that had lost only once at home all season. In the next round, the momentum continued as the Huskies pulled off another upset, beating West Virginia on penalty kicks.
The final round would be the toughest test for UConn though. Before the tournament even started, UConn coach Len Tsantiris said the championship would most likely go through one team. Now, standing between the Huskies and an NCAA birth was that team, a team that had already beaten UConn once earlier in the year and had neither lost nor tied all season - Notre Dame.
The Huskies battled snow, rain, ice and the top-ranked team in the country for 96 minutes. The Irish proved to be more powerful than Mother Nature though.
When a shot by Notre Dame's Melissa Henderson found the back of the net, it did more than win the Big East Tournament for the Irish - it ended the Huskies' season, streak and dreams.
Coach Len Tsantiris said the toughest part about losing to Notre Dame was the fact that it was the end for the seniors like Labbe.
In 1981, IBM released the first personal computer, Tom Cruise appeared in his first feature film and America believed it was a milestone to elect an actor as president.
One thing at UConn, however, did not change.
Twenty seven years ago, the UConn women's soccer team qualified for the first NCAA women's soccer tournament. The Huskies qualified again in 1982. And again in 1983. And again in 1984…
Since 1981, the team has won 16 Big East Northeast division championships, two Big East tournament Championships and made the NCAA tournament finals four times. Possibly the most impressive streak during that time however was 26 consecutive years of qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.
This year though, that streak finally came to an end.
"It was a struggle all season," said senior goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe. "It was an up-and-down season and it took a while to find ourselves. It was just too late."
Before the Big East finals, the Huskies knocked out a Georgetown team that had lost only once at home all season. In the next round, the momentum continued as the Huskies pulled off another upset, beating West Virginia on penalty kicks.
The final round would be the toughest test for UConn though. Before the tournament even started, UConn coach Len Tsantiris said the championship would most likely go through one team. Now, standing between the Huskies and an NCAA birth was that team, a team that had already beaten UConn once earlier in the year and had neither lost nor tied all season - Notre Dame.
The Huskies battled snow, rain, ice and the top-ranked team in the country for 96 minutes. The Irish proved to be more powerful than Mother Nature though.
When a shot by Notre Dame's Melissa Henderson found the back of the net, it did more than win the Big East Tournament for the Irish - it ended the Huskies' season, streak and dreams.
Coach Len Tsantiris said the toughest part about losing to Notre Dame was the fact that it was the end for the seniors like Labbe.
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