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

WOMEN’S SOCCER | Hoyas Win Big East Final, Earn NCAA Tournament Berth

Against a team that allowed only four goals all season, the Georgetown women’s soccer team found the back of the net three times to become Big East Tournament champions for the second year in a row Sunday afternoon.

The victory marks the program’s first back-to-back championship and the first time that Georgetown has won both the regular season and the tournament in the same season. Only four teams in the history of the league have won consecutive championships, and this win gives the Hoyas an automatic NCAA tournament bid

“It means literally the world to us,” senior defender Taylor Pak said of her team’s 3-0 victory over Butler (13-2-5, 5-0-4 Big East). “Having done it last year, that team did something special, and we keep reiterating the idea of this team making our own history. So this is our ultimate goal, especially to host in front of our fans; it means a lot to us.”

In the seventh minute, the Hoyas (14-3-3, 6-1-2 Big East) opened up scoring off a free kick in which Corboz found Pak, one of the team’s main set-piece targets, who headed the ball past the Bulldogs’ goalkeeper.

“I think it is crucial for us to get on top of a team who is going to sit back a little bit, just because once the clock runs down, it becomes harder and harder to get on top of them,” Pak said of her team’s ability to get on the board early.

Rachel Corboz, who was named Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the Tournament, said that the team has been focusing on gaining momentum early in games throughout the season.

“We saw against Marquette, we scored early, and right away their heads were down, so we knew coming into this game that one of our goals was to get on the board right away,” Corboz said. “We did it, and we were able to score more after that, which was great.”

Later in the half, Butler created arguably its best scoring opportunities of the game, one of which was cleared by senior midfielder Chloe Knott, and the other was saved by junior goalkeeper and Big East Goalkeeper of the Year Arielle Schechtman, who, until that point, had not been called upon to make any critical stops.

The Blue and Gray maintained their 1-0 lead heading into the second half, but it was not long before Georgetown struck again. Just five minutes into the period, sophomore defender Meaghan Nally fired a shot from distance that Butler’s keeper blocked but was unable to collect. When the ball bounced out, junior forward Caitlin Farrell was there to tap it in, putting the Hoyas up 2-0.

Georgetown’s final goal came in the 88th minute, when Butler’s goalkeeper attempted to send the ball upfield but was intercepted by Corboz. Noticing that the keeper was off her line, Corboz chipped the ball over her head and into the back of the net, all but sealing the Hoyas’ second consecutive tournament championship.

“The big part of it is that I think we’re playing our best soccer right now, and to be able to get on the board for us and help us win the games is the most important,” Corboz said. “And I’m just happy that we were able to win it all.”

“We felt pretty good about our prospects for the NCAA tournament regardless of the results, but you never know, so this locks it down,” Head Coach Dave Nolan said.

The win also comes less than two weeks after both teams faced off in Indianapolis in a match that ended in a scoreless tie after regulation and two overtime periods.

“We just felt that here on the grass, where the ball would move a little bit quicker, we would have success,” Nolan said of the difference in results. “We did a better job of executing the game plan.”

With the results of the selection show announced on Monday, Georgetown is set to take on Wake Forest (11-5-3, 5-4-2 ACC) in Winston-Salem, N.C. on Friday for the first round of the NCAA tournament. The game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

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