Vargas’ Game Winner Lifts Women’s Soccer over UConn, 1-0

Thursday, August 27

Providence, R.I.

7 p.m.

Brown University

2-1-0, 0-0-0

UConn

1-1-2, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
UConn	0	0	0
Brown	0	1	1

Photo by: Connor Sharp

Vargas’ Game Winner Lifts Women’s Soccer over UConn, 1-0

8/27/2026 10:10:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Highlights Kia McNeill Postgame Interview Joy Okonye Postgame Interview Photo Gallery

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Senior Angelina Vargas scored the game-winning goal in the 58^th minute as Brown University women's soccer beat the University of Connecticut, 1-0, on Thursday night at Stevenson-Pincince Field.

Competing in their second home match of the season, the Bears (2-1-0) improved to 2-0-0 at home as Vargas' second game-winner in as many home matches lifted the hosts to the victory over the visiting Huskies (1-1-2).

"Sometimes you're going to win pretty, and sometimes you're going to win gritty," Kia McNeill, the Messing Family Head Coach for Brown Varsity Women's Soccer, said. "I think today was just a gritty game. It was two physical teams. It was a battle. They had chances. We had chances. It just took that one chance from Angelina – she put the ball in the back of the net. Just happy to walk away with a victory."

Vargas netted her second goal of the season – both game-winners – and tallied her fifth career goal, capitalizing on a turnover and driving a shot into the right side of the goal from well beyond the penalty area.

For the match, Brown held advantages in shots (12-6), shots on goal (6-2), and corner kicks (3-1).

"UConn is a very good team," McNeill said. "They're well-coached. It's always a battle with them year after year. We always look forward to playing them. It was a good result for us."

Senior Joy Okonye led all players with five shots and two shots on goal while freshman Taylor Green added two shots – both on goal.

Senior goalkeeper Gurleen Toor made two saves in her first career shutout as the Bears posted their second clean sheet as a team this season.

Among the Bears' field players, all four members of the back line – senior Hasti Gholami, senior Claire Silverman, junior Kyra Treanor, and junior Brooke Birtwistle – all played the full 90 minutes.

"It was a good team win," Okonye said. "I think we deserved the three points. Knowing that we lost our second game, it was a great way to bounce back. The team had a lot of energy. We just have to continue with the energy and keep up with this performance. We have a big game coming up this weekend."

Brown nearly opened the game's scoring on multiple occasions in the first half. A shot from inside the box from Green required a reaction save in the seventh minute before sophomore Jael-Marie Guy drove a shot on target in the 15^th minute. Okonye challenged the keeper on multiple occasions later in the half, nearly scoring off a corner kick, sending a shot off the woodwork, and firing another shot that was parried just over the crossbar.

Vargas broke the deadlock in the 58^th minute. After junior Nadja Meite pressured the Huskies into a turnover, Vargas collected the ball and delivered a strike past the outstretched arms of the keeper into the back of the net.

Next, Brown plays at Penn State on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 1:00 p.m. (B1G+).

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