After not winning a single Big East match since they joined the conference, the Hoyas finally ended their two-year drought last Friday, beating Rutgers 3-2 in dramatic fashion. Sophomore midfielder Meggie Taylor scored the winning goal with twelve minutes left in the game. Needless to say, it was an exciting win for a team desperate for a positive result.
“I was very excited to have our first win this season against Rutgers [and] having such a monumental win for our program’s first Big East win,” senior captain Kristen Volpe said. “It has been something that has been a goal of mine all four years here, and I’m happy that it was with this specific team.”
Head coach Tiffany Marsh, who was part of a national championship team during her collegiate career at Maryland, was also very glad to finally snap the long losing streak.
“The win was huge for us,” Marsh said. “The win showed that [we] could play with some of the best teams in the country.”
Before that win though, the Hoyas had not won a game since 2007. Despite the frustrating times, the team has still remained positive through the years.
“There have been a ton of challenges here with this program in my four years, from entering the Big East conference, to a coaching staff change, three different home fields, and high turnover among teammates,” Volpe said. “These are all factors outside of my control. All I can do is focus on things I can control. I can control how hard I work, and how I can motivate others around me. My goal is to come away from this experience saying I gave everything I had and learned a ton while doing it.”
Marsh is pleased by the Hoyas’ persevering and patient mindset.
“The team is doing a good job of keeping the big picture in mind,” Marsh said. “Other teams feel Georgetown is an easy win. That alone gives [the team] something to prove.”
Despite the team’s rocky history, Marsh knew the day would eventually come when Georgetown would get its first Big East win. Arriving at Georgetown in the fall semester of 2007, just a week before the preseason started, Marsh knew a lot of work needed to be done before Georgetown could become a winner in the conference.
“My second year we only had fifteen girls on the team. This year alone we have twelve freshman recruits,” Marsh said. “Our roster is still very limited, but we are just trying to build the program from the ground up. We are still in the baby steps of the process.”
After Friday’s win, it looks like Marsh is steering the team in the right direction.
“It’s all about finding the right kids for the program. The level of freshmen this year is much higher,” Marsh said. “Within the next two years, especially, we will see a lot of growth.”
Volpe agrees with her coach wholeheartedly.
“Each year I truly believe we have a better Georgetown field hockey program than the year before. The level of play, team commitment, and team camaraderie are constantly improving and it will only be a matter of time before this is reflected in our record.”
The Hoyas look for another win against the UConn Huskies this Friday at 9 p.m. at the William I. Jacobs Recreational Complex at American University.
