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

Mixed Results in 2015-16 Shift Expectations

Men’s Soccer

The men’s soccer team (16-2-3, 9-0-0 Big East) got off to a slow start this season, failing to win any of its first three games. However, as the season progressed, the Hoyas’ stout defense led them to a dominant run through Big East play.

Georgetown won each of its nine regular season Big East games as part of a program record 14-game winning streak. The Hoyas’ defenders — including junior Joshua Yaro and seniors Keegan Rosenberry, Cole Seiler and Josh Turnley — helped their team record six consecutive shutouts as part of a streak of more than 566 consecutive scoreless minutes — another program record.

The Hoyas won the school’s first-ever Big East championship in men’s soccer by defeating Creighton on junior forward Alex Muyl’s overtime goal. After it finished with a 16-2-3 record, Georgetown earned the No. 3 overall seed in the NCAA tournament, but it fell to Boston College (11-8-2, 4-4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) in penalty kicks in the third round of the tournament.

Four Hoyas earned All-Big East First Team Recognition, including Yaro, the Big East Defensive Player of the Year, and freshman goalkeeper J.T. Marcinkowski, the Big East Rookie of the Year. Senior forward Brandon Allen led the team with 12 goals and was one of 15 players selected as semifinalists for the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy, awarded to the country’s best men’s and women’s soccer player.

Women’s Soccer

After an inconsistent nonconference slate, the women’s soccer team (11-5-4, 6-1-2 Big East) started fast in Big East play and maintained its strong play throughout its conference schedule, finishing second in the Big East.

However, the Hoyas’ play did not translate to postseason success, as they fell to Providence in penalty kicks in the Big East tournament semifinals. Georgetown thus failed to claim the Big East’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament that goes to the tournament’s winner.

Georgetown still earned an at-large bid to the Big East tournament and was given a home match against Hofstra (13-6-2, 7-1-1 Colonial Athletic Association) in the first round. However, the results were the same for the Hoyas, as they again lost in penalty kicks and did not advance.

Sophomore midfielder Rachel Corboz, a Third Team All-American and the Big East Midfielder of the Year, led a balanced Georgetown offensive attack with 10 goals and eight assists. Senior forward Crystal Thomas added seven goals and seven assists and was one of five Hoyas who earned All-Big East Second Team honors. Graduate student goalkeeper Emma Newins anchored the defense by earning All-Big East honors for the fourth consecutive season, this time receiving Second Team honors.

Football

The football team (4-7, 2-4 Patriot League) improved upon last season’s record but was unable to sustain momentum at any point during the season, as the Hoyas never won two consecutive games.

Georgetown won its home opener by a score of 34-7 over Marist (5-6, 4-4 Pioneer Football League), and also defeated Columbia (2-8, 1-6 Ivy League), Lafayette (1-10, 0-6 Patriot League) and Bucknell (4-7, 1-5 Patriot League) in 2015. However, the Hoyas struggled at times on defense, allowing more than 30 points in six of their 11 games.

Senior quarterback Kyle Nolan returned to run the Georgetown offense, passing for 2,433 yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Nolan also led the team with five rushing touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Jake DeCicco led Georgetown with 60 receptions and 705 receiving yards, while junior wide receiver Justin Hill hauled in 46 passes for 636 yards and a team-leading six touchdown receptions.

Senior running back Jo’el Kimpela rushed for 643 yards to lead the team, and Kimpela and Hill were among six Hoyas who were named to the All-Patriot League Second Team. Senior linebacker Matthew Satchell was Georgetown’s lone All-Patriot League First Team selection after leading the team with 100 total tackles.

Men’s Lacrosse

The 2015 season for the men’s lacrosse team marked a significant turnaround from two years of struggle and sub-.500 records for the program. The team posted a 10-6 record and reached the championship of the Big East tournament, before losing to reigning Big East and national champion Denver.

But Georgetown (2-11, 1-3 Big East) did not carry its 2015 momentum into this season; the team had a five-game losing skid through the middle of the season with three blowout losses.

The Hoyas have struggled at the faceoff X since 2014; following the departure of then-graduate student FOGO Tyler Knarr after the 2014 season and the introduction of new NCAA faceoff rules in 2015, Georgetown has had to focus on making the faceoff a more concerted three-on-three effort.

Graduate student midfielder and second-time co-captain Joe Bucci has led Georgetown on offense this season and currently has 18 total goals and seven assists. Freshman attack Daniel Bucaro has also stepped into a major offensive role, recording 15 goals and 12 assists for a team-high 27 points.

Sophomore goalkeeper Nick Marrocco returned for his second season, anchoring the defense and garnering conference Defensive Player of the Week honors twice this season.

Georgetown’s final game of the regular season is this weekend on the road against St. John’s (1-12, 0-4 Big East).

Women’s lacrosse

After getting off to a rocky start at the beginning of the season with four straight losses, the women’s lacrosse team (6-9, 4-2 Big East) slowly started to reverse the tide after a close 10-9 upset win over then-No. 14 Duke (9-7, 4-3 ACC) on March 9.

A bulk of the team’s success this season has come during conference play; Georgetown is currently in third place in the Big East standings behind the two conference rivals it has lost to — No. 2 Florida (16-1, 7-0 Big East) and the University of Connecticut (12-3, 6-1 Big East).

The Hoyas’ scoring depth has played a significant role in its wins this season. In Georgetown’s decisive 18-7 victory over Villanova (4-13, 2-5 Big East) on April 13, nine different players tallied goals, including four from senior attack Kelsey Perselay and three from junior attack Colleen Lovett.

Georgetown’s depth also extends to its roster. Senior midfielder Kristen Bandos and senior attack Corinne Etchison continue to put up high numbers on the stat sheet, while freshman midfielder Francesca Whitehurst and freshman attack Taylor Gebhardt have also stepped into lead roles on offense.

The Hoyas wrap up their regular season schedule on the road against Temple (11-5, 3-3 Big East) this Saturday in Philadelphia.

Cross Country & Track and Field

Under the guidance of first-year Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Michael Smith, the teams have thrived between the cross country and indoor and outdoor track seasons. In September, the women’s team was ranked No. 5 in the NCAA preseason polls, with the men’s team holding a preseason rank of 16.

In November, for the 10th time in 11 years, both teams earned berths to the NCAA championships; the men’s squad earned 10th place overall in the competition, while the women claimed 20th. Junior Jonathan Green finished in fifth place in the 10,000-meter event, the best individual showing at the national championships by a Georgetown runner since 2000.

Heading into 2016, the men’s and women’s track and field teams earned preseason ranks of No. 22 and No. 10, respectively. Throughout the indoor season and into the opening weeks of the outdoor season this spring, both teams have seen multiple athletes break personal and school records.

In the second day of the indoor NCAA championships on March 12, the women’s distance medley relay squad of graduate student Andrea Keklak, senior Heather Martin, junior Emma Keenan and graduate student Katrina Coogan took first place and recorded the ninth fastest time in NCAA history, finishing in 10:57.21.

The track and field teams will continue regular competition through next month, with the NCAA preliminaries at the end of May and the NCAA championships in early June.

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