Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

GU Upsets No. 16 West Virginia

The Hoyas are getting hot at the right time.

After a season of inconsistent play, the Georgetown women’s soccer team has finally come together and, with only one game left in the regular season, is on a three-game win streak.

The most recent victory, a 1-0 upset of No. 16 West Virginia on Sunday afternoon, came close on the heels of another conference win, a solid 2-0 shutout of Seton Hall at home.

“It was a huge win [at West Virginia]. It’s always a big accomplishment to go to an opponent and get a win,” Georgetown Head Coach Dave Nolan said. “This shows how far we’ve come this season.”

With the two wins, the Hoyas (8-8-1, 4-4-1 Big East) clinched a playoff berth and now wait to find out their seeding. The Hoyas could finish fifth, sixth or seventh depending on the outcome of their game with Pittsburgh tomorrow night.

Against the Mountaineers (14-4-0, 7-3-0), the Hoyas got on the board early and, despite West Virginia’s offensive onslaught, were able to hold on for the victory. The Mountaineers had 26 shots to Georgetown’s two, including 17 in the second half, but could not capitalize.

In the ninth minute it looked as if West Virginia would strike first, as senior forward Laura Kane took a shot from the top of the 18-yard box. Her shot hit the crossbar, however, and the ball fell in front of the goal.

On a quick counterattack, the Hoyas tallied the game’s only score. At 8:32 into the contest, freshman defender Karen Waskewich sent a direct kick from 20 yards out into the upper left corner for her first goal of the season.

With the win, freshman goalkeeper Jade Higgins got her fifth shutout of the season, notching five saves.

Higgins was one of six freshmen starting for the Hoyas, who were playing with a shortened roster. Senior captains forward Casey cCann and defender Elizabeth Roberti and junior forward Shara cNeill sat out all or most of the game due to injuries. McCann saw playing time only because other Georgetown players got hurt during the match. Junior defender Alexandra Hardy, playing defense to fill in for Roberti, took an elbow to the eye and received four stitches before returning to the game.

“It was a real team effort,” Nolan said. “With eight freshmen on the field at some points . it shows our growth.”

West Virginia Head Coach Nikki Izzo-Brown was less pleased with the performance of her team.

“When you allow a team an opportunity, they are going to take it,” she said in a press release. “We played with 45 minutes of intensity today, but that’s not enough in a 90-minute game.”

In Friday’s home finale against Seton Hall (7-9-2, 2-8-0 Big East), Georgetown also scored the go-ahead goal early in the contest. In the 14th minute, freshman midfielder Sara Jordan collected a pass from freshman midfielder Laura Boova at the top of the 18 and put it away for her sixth goal of 2004. It was Boova’s fourth assist of the year.

Georgetown added an insurance goal in the 42nd minute off a Pirate penalty. Waskewich took a direct kick outside the 18-yard box, putting the ball in front of the net where, after a deflection by Jordan, senior midfielder Nicole DePalma put the ball into the corner for her team-leading seventh goal of the year.

DePalma received Big East offensive player of the week accolades for her performance against the Pirates, as well as for her two goals in the team’s previous win over Liberty.

An all-around physical match, DePalma had a yellow card in the first half as both teams tallied multiple fouls. Overall, Georgetown committed 16 fouls to Seton Hall’s 10, the majority of which came before halftime.

After intermission both teams settled down but with the evenly-matched competition neither team managed to score after intermission.

The Hoyas outshot the Pirates 13-7 in the match, six of which were on net for Georgetown. Higgins recorded a shutout with two saves.

The Hoyas travel to Pittsburgh tomorrow to take on the Panthers (6-9-1, 2-6-1 Big East) in their regular season closer. A win in the game, a rainout makeup, would move Georgetown to fifth in the conference, its highest-ever finish in the Big East.

It would also mean that Georgetown would face Boston College in the first round of the Big East tournament. The Hoyas did not face the Eagles in regular season play in 2004, though they lost to Boston College 3-1 in 2003.

Last year the Hoyas failed to make the postseason after going winless in the conference. Boston College was the runner-up in the Big East tournament, falling to Villanova in the final on penalty kicks.

If Georgetown ties Pittsburgh, the Hoyas will face West Virginia in the first round. With a loss, they will take on Connecticut.

First-round games will be played this Sunday at 1 p.m., though Georgetown will not play host to a contest regardless of tomorrow’s outcome.

The Panthers are currently tied for 10th in the Big East and have already been eliminated from postseason play. Kickoff at Founder’s Field is set for 7 p.m.

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