This fall, three Georgetown teams are vying for postseason appearances in the Big East Conference. While the Women’s Soccer team has already secured a berth, the fates of the Men’s Soccer and Women’s Volleyball teams have yet to be determined.
Men’s Soccer (5-8 overall, 3-4 Big East, Ninth in Conference)
The Georgetown Men’s Soccer team has five regular season games left. Three of the teams they will face, Notre Dame, St. John’s and West Virginia, are contenders in the Big East Conference. This Saturday, the Hoyas will face the Irish on North Kehoe Field at 1 p.m.
“This is a huge game,” said Head Coach Keith Tabatznik. “The fact is that our backs are against the wall. But we usually perform well in such instances. We need results, playing at home. That will be a good aspect for us.”
The Hoyas need to win all three conference games to gain a berth in championship play. Although, they will have the advantage of hosting St. John’s, the Red Storm is the No. 1 team in both the Big East and in the nation.
“We have to realize that a couple [teams] are going to make it and a couple won’t,” said Tabatznik. “It would appear that it’s going to be close.”
With only three seniors and 16 first-years and sophomores, this year has been seen as a rebuilding year for the Hoyas. Still, Georgetown has made the Big East Tournament for the past 10 years and is not looking forward to the prospect of missing the postseason.
“We’re focused on now, regardless of tradition or non-tradition,” said Tabatznik. “Each team develops its own personality. That personality comes out in the last part of the season. It’s come out in the past, and we have to hope that quality will come out again.”
Women’s Soccer (9-6 overall, 3-3 Big East, Fourth in Mid-Atlantic Division)
The Georgetown Women’s Soccer team has secured a berth in the Big East Tournament. Ranked fourth in the Mid-Atlantic Division, the team has three Big East opponents left to face on its schedule. Although Georgetown is guaranteed a spot in postseason play, players feel that the Hoyas still have much to prove.
“I want a strong finish to the season for the team,” said senior forward Karin Ostrander. “We could use more wins. As far as NCAA goes, three more wins on our record would be really great.”
The last time the Hoyas were in the Big East tournament was 1999, current Head Coach Diane Drake’s first year. As in 1999, it is likely that the Hoyas will have to travel up to Connecticut in the first round of the tournament. That year, Georgetown was handed a 2-0 defeat.
“We’re going to need a little ‘Lady Luck’. It’s going to be a battle traveling up to UConn again,” said Drake.
A preview of this possible playoff match will occur this Friday at 3 p.m. on North Kehoe field when the two teams will test out each other’s play. After defeating long-time conference nemesis Notre Dame for the first time in its history and pushing Mid-Atlantic Division champion West Virginia into overtime, Georgetown is confident that they can makes waves in the tournament.
“The Big East Tourney is up for grabs,” said Drake. “There are at least five teams capable of winning it … It should be a very interesting run.”
Women’s Volleyball (13-9 overall, 4-2 Big East, Fifth in Conference)
The Georgetown women’s volleyball team is currently in fifth place in the Big East with eight games left in the season. Seven of these games are in the conference. The top four in the Big East will make the tournament, and the Hoyas should have their toughest games against Connecticut and St. John’s, who are tied for sixth place in the Big East. The team is very confident about making a run at the tournament.
“We still have a lot of chances to make it to the playoffs”, said Head Coach Li Liu. “It all depends on how we play with Big East teams. We’re confident we can make it to the top four.”
The Hoyas have a relatively easy schedule against their Big East opponents. All the teams they will face currently hold worse records in the Big East than Georgetown, with Seton Hall winless in the conference. However, Liu said that the team could not treat weaker teams with less intensity.
“We need to treat every Big East team as if they are a strong team as a preparation for the strong teams,” said Liu. “We cannot afford to make mistakes because every game counts.”
Georgetown has had a strong season from senior outside hitter Lauren Warner and sophomore middle blocker Sarah Albert. Warner currently leads the team in kills and digs and recently recorded her 14th double double of the season, and Albert was recently named Big East Player of the Week. But, if the team wants to make a run for the playoffs, the entire team needs to contribute.
“Lauren Warner and Sarah Albert are very good players, but they don’t win matches,” said Liu. “Everybody contributes, and that’s why we win.”
The Hoyas have a solid chance to make it to the playoffs if they capitalize on their remaining schedule. Senior middle blocker Anna Kleinsorge, a big contributer, has recently returned from injury and the team not only has the potential to make the tournament, but to return to the championship game.
“We had some injuries and we had some players out, but they’re in now,” said Liu. “We just need to keep working hard.”
