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The overcast skies and light rain that filled the sky on Sunday afternoon seemed to foreshadow the gloomy end to the No. 3 Georgetown men’s soccer team’s (16-2-3, 9-0 Big East) season, as they fell to the Boston College Eagles (11-7-2, 4-4 ACC) in penalty kicks 1-1 (5-4). The lone goal for the Hoyas was scored by senior defender Keegan Rosenberry.
A heartbreaking loss ends what was the most successful season in the history of Georgetown soccer. Earlier this year, the Blue and Gray captured their first Big East Tournament Championship, as well as their fifth Regular Season Big East Championship. The team also constructed a record-shattering 17-game undefeated streak, which included 14 consecutive wins and six straight shutouts. Georgetown also had a program-record eight players selected to All-Conference teams, including junior defender Joshua Yaro, who was named Big East Player of the Year, and freshman goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski, who earned the Big East Freshman of the Year award.
After both teams exchanged initial blows, it was the Eagles who struck first in the 18th minute. Boston College junior midfielder Isaac Normesinu got the ball into the short corner on the Georgetown side of the field and played a low cross into the middle that found his teammate, freshman forward Trevor Davock. Davock chipped the ball over the head of Marcinkowski to give the Eagles an early 1-0 lead.
“(When the ball gets into the corner like that) it’s tough to defend because there’s a lot going on,” said Yaro. “You don’t know what’s behind you, or what’s on your side. To their credit, it was a good goal. But I don’t think we panicked, we knew we were going to get the goal back eventually.”
Georgetown eventually did find the equalizing goal, after several missed opportunities, in the 59th minute. Sophomore midfielder Christopher Lema played a corner kick to the far post, where Rosenberry was waiting uncovered. The ball fell to Rosenberry’s foot, and he slotted the ball just below Boston College senior goalkeeper Alex Kapp’s outstretched arms.
Despite both team’s best efforts, neither Georgetown nor Boston College was able to find the go-ahead goal in regulation. In the final minutes, Georgetown had a flurry of chances, but they were thwarted by the BC defense.
“I thought they did a good job defending a lot of our deliveries,” said Georgetown Head Coach Brian Wiese of the Boston College backline. “I would have liked to have seen us get something out of one or two of those.”
Two periods of overtime were unable to break the deadlock between the two teams, which both shot an even 15 shots in the game. For the penalty kicks, Coach Wiese substituted 6’5” junior goalkeeper Mitchell Auer for Marcinkowski.
Senior attacker Brandon Allen and senior defender Josh Turnley each made their respective penalty kicks for the Hoyas, but both were matched by Boston College. Rosenberry stepped up to take the third penalty kick for Georgetown, but his attempt sailed over the goal.
“Penalty kicks are kind of a voodoo science,” noted Wiese. “Keegan, with the exception of Brandon Allen, is probably the last guy you’d expect to miss.”
Boston College converted on their third penalty attempt to gain the advantage. While Georgetown sophomore midfielder Christopher Lema and junior forward Brett Campbell converted on their respective attempts, Auer was unable to stop any of the BC shots. Boston College’s sophomore defender Len Zeugner who scored the game-winning penalty.
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“Sometimes you’re just not lucky enough to get the extra goal,” remarked Joshua Yaro. “I think with a little bit of luck we would have been on the winning side. But, you know, it happens sometimes.”
This is the second straight year the Hoyas have been ousted from the NCAA tournament by way of penalty kicks. Last year, the team lost in the quarterfinals at home to Virginia in similar fashion. Coach Wiese discussed the disappointment with losing in such dramatic fashion.
“It’s a really tough way to go out, as always… But we put ourselves into it,” he said. “It was one of those games where I don’t think we played as we have for a long stretch, but we were able to almost figure it out.”
Yaro, who has one year of eligibility left, remained positive, noting the team’s success throughout the season.
“Right now it’s about getting the guys to look back at the amazing things we have done as a team and take joy in that,” said Yaro. “One game does not define who we are.”
