After 88 minutes of scoreless play, the Georgetown women’s soccer team (8-2-3, 3-0-1 Big East) were headed for extra time against the Providence Friars (5-6-2, 1-3-0 Big East) when senior forward Audra Ayotte netted her first goal of the season and secured the Hoya’s a crucial victory.
Now with their third straight win, the Hoyas extended their undefeated streak to seven consecutive games. Though most of the contest was a defensive stalemate for both sides, Georgetown dominated possession and exploited the fatigued Friars late in the game to continue their unbeaten 2014 Big East campaign.
The Hoyas have benefitted from the offensive contributions of several players in the past few weeks, now including Ayotte, whose late goal would end up being the game-winner as time ran out on the 1-0 contest. With just over two minutes to play, senior midfielder Daphne Corboz’s free kick service from near midfield was headed across the face of goal by junior midfielder Marina Paul. The Friars’ keeper was caught out of position by Paul’s redirection and Ayotte took advantage by streaking to the back post and touching in the game-winner.
“I was just looking for scraps and rebounds,” Ayotte said. “I don’t know if it hit off me or the other girl, but it was in the back of the net, which is what matters.”
From the opening whistle, Providence seemed content to play a passive, defensive game that hoped to exploit the Hoyas on the counter-attack. The Friars frequently dropped nine players into their defensive half and quickly looked to free forward Catherine Zimmerman whenever they retained possession of the ball. Aside from one run at net during the first half, Providence never even made it close to Georgetown’s goal.
Though the Friar’s compact defense stifled the Hoyas in the attacking third for much of the game, the Hoyas wore down their opposition by dominating play in the midfield.
Georgetown Head Coach Dave Nolan acknowledged that his team struggled to find freedom within the attacking third of the pitch, but he was pleased with his team’s offensive efforts.
“I told the girls at halftime that if we continued to move the ball, they would eventually tire and we would get more space and more opportunities,” said Nolan. “It’s hard to defend as hard as they defended for 90 minutes.”
As the Hoyas threatened to break through the Friar defense in the second half, they received an offensive spark from sophomore Grace Damaska. Damaska, whose hat trick had led the Hoyas past Butler last week, wreaked havoc down the left wing and exposed holes in the Friars defense on several occasions. Though the Hoyas did not capitalize on several of Damaska’s efforts, the forward’s impact on the Hoya’s offensive campaign was evident.
“Pinging the ball around, Providence was getting really tired and it left me open,” Damaska said. “I tried to just take my girl down the wing and beat her.”
“We might have had a little good fortune with the finish, but it wasn’t like we hadn’t done enough before that to deserve to win,” Nolan said. “I was really happy with how we managed the game.”
Having played three games in eight days, the Hoyas will now take some much needed rest in order to prepare for their most pivotal test thus far in Big East play. Georgetown now sets its sights on the Marquette Golden Eagles (6-5-2, 2-0-1 Big East), who have won the Big East tournament in each of the last two years.
After starting the 2013 season undefeated through 13 games, the Hoyas suffered a huge 4-0 defeat at the hands of the Golden Eagles. Despite Marquette’s Big East dominance in years past, the team has looked vulnerable early and often this season. Though Marquette defeated No. 16 Kansas in September, they have lost five games this season, four of which were against unranked opponents.
When Georgetown and Marquette square off on Oct. 12 at 1 p.m., it will be the first time the Hoyas have hosted the Golden Eagles since 2010. The Blue and Gray certainly aren’t taking their return lightly. Though the team has struggled against Marquette in the past, Ayotte is just one of the many returning players looking forward to avenging last year’s abysmal 4-0 defeat in Milwaukee, Wis.
“I think it’s definitely good to have a win going into Marquette, and I think with a strong week of practice we’ll be ready to play Marquette,” Ayotte said. “Hopefully we’ll get some revenge from last year.”
Photo by Jennifer Costa
