The Georgetown Hoyas men’s soccer team was shutout yesterday by the No. 6 Maryland Terrapins 2-0 on North Kehoe Field, in a game marked by the Terrapins’ command of the ball. The loss brings Georgetown’s record to 4-8 overall and 2-3 in the Big East.
From the start, Maryland controlled the tempo. For the first 15 minutes, the Terrapins forced the ball in the Hoyas end and would not let it out. When the Hoyas finally kicked the ball out of their own zone, sophomore midfielder Trevor Goodrich slipped on the wet grass during his advance and turned it over. Terrapins junior forward Nino Marcantonio gained control and took a swift kick that hit the right goal post. The deflection was put away by sophomore forward Abe Thompson and Maryland led 1-0.
“I was frustrated [about Maryland’s ball control],” said sophomore defender Dan Gargan. “You work your ass off to get the ball and start all over again.”
Without injured offensive leader sophomore forward Kaiser Chowdhry, Georgetown was unable to sustain any type of serious possession for the rest of the first half. However, the team was able to keep Maryland from dominating its zone.
Still, Georgetown only had one serious attempt for a goal in the half. In the 27th minute, first-year midfielder Michael Banner dribbled up to just outside the box and fired it low toward the opposite post, but it hooked out of bounds.
“When I get the ball I try to make something happen for my team,” said Banner. “But I didn’t get the ball a lot.”
When Banner did have the ball, Maryland defenders often pushed him off, and Banner was knocked to the ground seven times in the game.
“I need to hit the weights,” said Banner. “I’m out there and I’m only 140 [pounds].”
In the final minute of play in the half, off a Hoyas’ turnover, Maryland scrambled to set up a scoring attempt, but Georgetown coralled the ball with three seconds left. The first half ended with Maryland up 1-0.
The second half began differently, with the Hoyas able to control the ball off the opening tap. After strong play in the Hoyas’ backfield, junior defender Carl Skanderup drove to the top of the box and booted a line-drive saved by Maryland sophomore goalie Noah Palmer.
Still, after this attempt, Maryland was able to regain its first-half control and their activity paid off with a chance in the 56th minute. Two Maryland players were streaking toward the net with only Skanderup between them and the goalie, but Skanderup was able to deflect a cross back upfield.
In the 65th minute, Hoyas first-year Benjamin Jefferson-Dow dribbled across midfield and put himself in position to set up a chance. His pass hit sophomore midfielder Kevin Sindelar right outside the box, but he shanked his shot out of bounds.
Off a throw-in, a quick long ball up the sideline hit Marcantonio deep in the Hoyas’ zone, and he crossed it high. His ball was played by sophomore midfielder Ian Rodway, who kicked it out of midair past Hoyas’ junior goalie Tim Hogan with 19 minutes remaining.
The Hoyas’ last chance of the afternoon came with just three and a half minutes left. With Georgetown pressing, Jefferson-Dow leaped and hit a backwards header at the goal that Palmer nabbed near the crossbar. The game ended with Maryland on top 2-0.
“The biggest issue is that we’re giving up too many goals,” said Georgetown Head Coach Keith Tabatznik. “The only thing I would change about the game is the score. Maryland had three isolated chances and they only scored two. There was much positive about today’s game.”
Georgetown’s next game is Saturday at home against Big East rival Villanova at 1 p.m.
“We’re going to approach Saturday’s game like it’s a championship game,” said Tabatznik.
