Last Friday’s game up on Shaw field wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t the spectacle we’ve all come to expect from the Hilltop’s talented men’s soccer program. It wasn’t a game filled with attacking flair characteristic of the Hoyas. Thanks to an ultra-defensive opponent with a penchant for yellow cards, the Hoyas were starved for creativity. However, thanks to the Blue and Gray’s 1-0 win over the Villanova men’s soccer program (8-9-1, 3-6-0 Big East), Friday’s game secured Georgetown’s fourth Big East regular season championship in program history.
“You win them pretty and you win them ugly. That one was ugly,” said Georgetown Head Coach Brian Wiese. Any rhythm the Hoyas managed to find was usually broken by a harsh tackle, and subsequently by the referee’s whistle. However, due to the forecast and their opponents on the day, Wiese and his players weren’t surprised by the stop-and-start nature of the game.
“There were a lot of calls. They have the most yellow cards in the Big East and I think they picked up another five here. They’ve got a lot of good players, but they’re all athletic and huge. I think they’re very smart in how they were trying to approach the game,” Wiese said.
Wiese and his team will be happy with how they dealt with their opponents. The only goal of an otherwise ugly game was beautiful.
In the 22nd minute, freshman forward Alex Muyl picked up the ball and ran down the line where he passed the ball off to sophomore midfielder Josh Turnley, who slid the ball across the box to sophomore forward Brandon Allen.
Allen buried the ball in the back of the net, got the Hoyas on the score sheet, and completed what was the most fluid attacking play Shaw Field saw that afternoon. According to Wiese, that first goal was crucial. “A second goal would have been nice, it just never came,” Wiese said. “Villanova was playing for their life and they made ending their season hard.”
Friday’s game was the last obstacle standing between Georgetown and the domestic title. Celebrations began before the game even started with the program honoring its winningest senior class ever. The members of the class of 2013 have racked up an overall record of 54-19-10. The win on Friday meant they also lead the Hoyas to a third Big East domestic title.
While they have much to be proud of and four excellent years to reflect on, the senior class doesn’t seem to want to slow down. As the regular season finishes, the team now looks forward to Friday’s Big East Championship semi-finals in Philadelphia. At 6:00 p.m., the Hoyas will be taking on the winner of fifth-seeded Creighton or fourth-seeded Providence in a game that promises to be challenging and exciting no matter the opponent.
While the tournament this weekend is on the minds of all members of the men’s soccer program, Wiese is adamant that all focus should be on one thing: getting the result in whatever game the Blue and Gray are playing next.
“It’s nice being able to win pretty. It’s nice being able to win ugly. It’s nice to just be able to find ways,” he said. “This team is doing a better job of finding ways to get the results.”
