Back in the fall, the most notable thing about the Hoyas’ upcoming season was the strength of its schedule. Already, the team has shown it is ready for the tough road that lies ahead. The Hoyas demonstrated their poise on the field by defeating the third-ranked Maryland 13-10 on Saturday in a game that had its ups and downs for both teams.
One of the Hoyas’ ups was the strength of their defensive play, which limited the Terrapins’ attack to only a few goals. In a pivotal third quarter, the Hoya defense—led by junior Barney Ehrmann, who had five ground balls in the game—held Maryland to only four shots and one goal.
Also instrumental in the win was the strength of Georgetown’s attack. Sophomore Ryan Shuler proved his inexperience was not a factor in his play, scoring three goals. Fellow attackman Ricky Mirabito, a junior, tallied three goals as well.
Despite their strong start, the Hoyas know that one win does not mean much in the long run.
“It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” head coach Dave Urick said. “You can’t get caught looking too far down the road.”
With that in mind, the Hoyas will travel to New York to face off against Eastern College Athletic Conference rival St. John’s. This is an important game for both sides, as in-conference play will likely help determine the fate of both teams down the road.
Following a disappointing 2-11 record last year, the Red Storm have started the season strong, winning their first two games. The team believes they have been playing better as a result of good leadership, team chemistry, and hard work on the practice field. Still, the Red Storm know the Hoyas will be tough to beat.
“Georgetown’s size and depth makes defending them a real problem,” St. John’s head coach Jason Miller said.
Historically, St. John’s hasn’t had much success generating a strong attack against the Hoyas. The Red Storm’s offense will need to find a way to combat Georgetown’s dominant defensive pressure and look towards the transition game for assistance. Leading the way for Storm is do-it-all senior captain Dom DeNapoli, who takes face-offs and starts as a long-stick midfielder.
The Hoyas will look to keep the game at a quick pace and control the momentum. To do this, they will need to perform well in face-offs, an area in which they were weak in the second half of last week’s game. They will also need to continue their excellent defensive clearing as junior goalie Jack Davis becomes more comfortable in the net. If the Hoyas do this, they will pose a serious threat to the Red Storm squad.
Face off is at 1 p.m. in Queens, New York.
