A Sunday win was the perfect medicine for the ailing Hoya men’s soccer team (2-5-0, 1-2 BE), which snapped a four game losing streak with a 1-0 win against conference foe Louisville (4-3-0, 1-1-0 BE).
“It certainly makes for a happy ride home,” Coach Brian Wiese said. “We finally finished our road trip and we’ll welcome the upcoming home-stand.”
With goalkeeper Joe Devine out with a calf injury and starters Lenny Coleman and Mark Zeman sidelined by a red card and stomach virus respectively, Georgetown relied on six freshman, but keeper Matthew Brutto and defenseman Ibukun Otegbeye rose above the rest. Brutto, making his first career start, blanked all 7 Cardinal shots against him, a feat which earned him a spot on the Big East Weekly Honor Roll.
“I wasn’t sure how Matt was going to do but I also knew that he was going to do well just based on his ability. Goalkeepers either make you nervous or make you calm, and as the game wore on, he made me more calm,” Coach Weise said.
Of his league honor, Brutto said, “Yeah I was excited. I got a phone call from my parents, they were the first to call and tell me.”
Fellow freshman Ibu Otegbeye provided the Hoyas with an assist on their only goal. Making his first start didn’t faze Ibu.
“Previous to this past game, I had a lot of game experience coming off the bench, so I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I would be.”
Still, the win wasn’t easy. The Hoyas struggled to clear the ball and were out-shot 17-10. Nevertheless, the win serves as a confidence-builder for the Hoyas, who are happy to return to the familiar confines of Kehoe field.
“Getting a win on the road builds some confidence. Winning is a habit and losing is a habit and we fell into a rut for a bit…We’re happy to be home.” Coach Wiese said.
Up next for the Hoyas is Rutgers at home on Friday.
