The Georgetown women’s soccer team (3-4-0 overall, 0-0-0 BE) dropped to below .500 for the first time this season with a tough 3-1 loss at American University (6-1-1 overall, 0-0-0 PL) Tuesday afternoon.
The game remained close for the majority of the first half. Georgetown held the ball on offense far more than American, constantly putting pressure on the Eagles’ defense. Georgetown continually produced more scoring chances, led by sophomore midfielder Chrissy Skogen’s three shots, but failed to put the ball away.
“This was the story of [the] season so far,” Georgetown Head Coach Dave Nolan said. “We have created more chances than the other team, but for some reason have not been able to put the ball into the net.”
The scoreless tie was broken in the 34th minute, as American sophomore defender Meg Runeari was fouled on a breakaway. Runeari converted on a free kick from 20 yards out, bending the ball around Georgetown’s wall of blockers in front of the goal. The shot was out of reach for Jade Higgins, the Hoyas’ helpless first-year keeper.
American extended their lead coming out of halftime, scoring in the 51st minute on a goal by sophomore defender Jana Lee. Set up by fellow defender, junior Lena Winkler, Lee headed the ball into the top right corner of the goal to put the Eagles up 2-0.
“We have to play for 90 minutes,” Nolan said. “We give up a goal right before the half and right after because it takes us awhile to get into the pace of the game.”
The Hoyas continued to put pressure on the Eagles, eventually out-shooting American 13 to nine. They also took six corner kicks to the Eagles’ two.
“It takes too many chances for us to score, while [our opposition] scores on fewer chances,” Nolan said.
As time ran down, both teams got more physical. American first-year defender Irene Karistinos and Georgetown junior midfielder Shara McNeil both received yellow cautions as the game wound down. Each team recorded six fouls in the second half. Complaints were coming from both benches about the officiating.
“This wasn’t a particularly physical game,” Nolan said. “It was just two teams with a lot on line in a local rivalry.”
American extended its lead further in the 61st minute on a goal by junior midfielder Marcela Ricupero. After making a nice move to lose her defender, she slotted home in the right side of the net.
Georgetown did finally crack American’s sophomore keeper Alison Doyle, but it was too little, too late. Senior forward Casey McCann put the Hoyas on the scoreboard on a cross from first-year midfielder Sara Jordan in the 84th minute. In a frantic last minute effort the Hoyas put a number of shots on goal. Most of them went just wide and Georgetown even managed to hit the crossbar.
Georgetown’s improvement will depend on first-years, whose inexperience poses a problem for the Hoyas on the depth chart. Georgetown only played 13 all afternoon, while American was able to use 17 different women.
The Hoyas open up Big East Conference play this Friday at 3 p.m. on the Harbin Field against St. John’s (6-1-1 overall, 0-1-0 BE).
