A plug connector for connecting optical fibers to an electrical receptacle connector includes a housing defining a cavity therein. At least one printed circuit board (PCB) is disposed in the housing cavity. The PCB includes one or more optoelectronic components disposed on its top surface and electrical contacts disposed proximate a mating edge of the PCB for mating with the receptacle connector. The electrical contacts are electrically connected to the one or more optoelectronic components. One or more optical fibers enter the housing cavity through a housing opening and are optically coupled to the optoelectronic components. A structure comprising a top surface is disposed within the housing cavity between the housing opening and the PCB. The plurality of the optical fibers extends over the top surface of the structure and over at least a portion of the top surface of the PCB. The plurality of the optical fibers is separated from the top surface of the PCB by a first minimum distance and from the top surfac