Pirates Visit UConn to Open BIG EAST Play

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – The Seton Hall men's soccer team (2-2-2) will look rebound from a heartbreaking loss when they open BIG EAST play on the road in Storrs, Connecticut, against the UConn Huskies (3-3-2) on Friday, September 18.

Match time is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

LAST TIME OUT

After notching a scoreless draw against Lehigh at home, the Pirates traveled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to take on the Penn Quakers.
Seton Hall got on the board first off a beautiful combination play that led to forward Tim Valentine's first collegiate goal. The Pirates held the lead for over 60 minutes before Marco Bottene answered for the Quakers, notching a brace in under five minutes to put The Hall down 2-1. The team had one final chance in the dying minutes, but could not convert and fell 2-1.

SCOUTING UCONN

UConn comes into the game with a 3-3-2 overall record.
- The team started the year 0-3-0 before going 3-0-2 over their next five games.
Through eight games, the Huskies have averaged 2.125 goals per game, good for sixth in the conference. That scoring surge can be attributed to the rise of Evan Pickering and the arrival of Elijah Langford. In Pickering's seven appearances this year, the junior has four goals on ten shots. Meanwhile, incoming transfer Elijah Langford has six goals this season, three of which have come from the penalty spot.
Kyle Durham returns to the net for the Huskies after a standout 2025 season that helped him get selected in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft. To this point, Durham has started seven games, tallying a 1.57 GAA with a 2-3-2 record and 17 saves.

SERIES HISTORY

The Pirates are 16-16-5 all-time against the Huskies, with the first match between the two programs coming in 1987.
The two sides met last season on Decision Day, at Owen T. Carroll Field. The Pirates took the lead early in the second half, but two late UConn goals handed them a loss.
- That loss kept the Pirates from making the BIG EAST Tournament.