After a disappointing 1-2-1 record to start the season, the Hoyas matched their offensive output for the entire year with five goals and rebounded in a home, non-conference game against St. Peter’s (N.J.) with a dominating 5-2 win on Tuesday. Senior Nate Port scored a pair of goals?his first two of the season?after placing second on the team in goals last year with five.
This game was a marked change from the Hoyas’ previous four which all ran into an overtime period.
“It’s a new feeling to finally control a game from start to finish,” Georgetown Head Coach Keith Tabatznik said. “It’s one that the group is sure to enjoy.”
The Hoyas kept the ball in the offensive zone the entire game and was able to maintain a constant pressure on the St. Peter’s defense.
The Georgetown aggressiveness paid off?the Hoyas outshot St. Peter’s 12-1 in the first half and eventually jumped out to a five-goal lead. Included in the scoring for the Hoyas was senior back Kenny Owens. He notched his first goal of the season 21 seconds into the second half, off an assist from first-year Dan Gargan. Owens’ goal was the 22nd of his career tying him for eighth place on the school’s career scoring list.
“I thought we did well today,” Owens said. “We played one or two touch soccer, and offensively we played really well.”
Also scoring for Georgetown was junior Tony Soric, who opened with a beautiful goal splitting three defenders after controlling a long ball from senior midfielder Andy Sole. Port notched his first score off a sweet give-and-go from first-year forward Kaiser Chowdhry. After Owens’ goal to begin the second half, senior midfielder Truls Engebretsen scored in the 63rd minute off a corner kick by sophomore Joseph Paden. Port closed the scoring for the Hoyas in the 75th minute with a breakaway goal after fighting off the St. Peter’s defense.
Georgetown starting keeper, junior Brian O’Hagan, shut out St. Peter’s for the first 69 minutes of the game, notching one save. O’Hagan’s replacement, Tim Hogan, also made one save.
The Hoyas lone let down came in the last 15 minutes of the game where St. Peter’s senior Mario Olarte scored two quick goals. Still, Tabatznik was pleased with the overall defensive effort. “The defensive intensity was quite good. Skillwise, St. Peter’s is a talented team, and if you aren’t hard on them they can score, as you saw at the end of the game.”
The win improved the Hoyas’ record to 2-2-1 while St. Peter’s fell to 1-4.
This weekend, the Hoyas open the Big East season with a game in Jamaica, N.Y., against the team ranked No. 2 nationally in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll, St. John’s. In terms of an outlook for Big East play, Tabatznik’s opinion changed as a result of the victory.
“It was very important to have a good showing and have a win today. It refocused us a bit. I know we’re ready for the [Big East] season when a week ago we weren’t,” Tabatznik said.
Owens agrees. “We can do well in the Big East if we’re scoring. Hopefully we can take [the championship],” he said.
