The Georgetown men’s soccer team (0-4-0, Big East) lost its home opener on Monday to Virginia Tech (4-0-0, ACC) by a 1-0 scoreline. Junior midfielder Collin Verfuth scored the game’s only goal for the Hokies, rifling home a scissor kick from point blank range in the 84th minute.
So far this season, the Hoyas have managed just a single goal in four games. In addition, the Hoyas have conceded a game-winning goal in the final ten minutes in each match, a stat that Head Coach Brian Wiese can no longer overlook.
“That’s four games in a row where you’ve lost the game” said Wiese after the game. “It’s been tied going into the last ten minutes, and the team you’ve played has found a way to generate what they needed to win, so maybe it’s becoming a little bit more than coincidence.”
The Hoyas began the afternoon brightly, settling down after a slightly nervy first five minutes to dominate possession for most of the opening quarter of the game. Junior midfielders Arun Basuljevic and Christopher Lema were the fulcrums in the middle of the park for the Hoyas while sophomore goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski confidently claimed crosses into the box, negating Virginia Tech’s height advantage over the Hoyas’ backline.
Georgetown’s early dominance nearly bore fruit as a mazy run from freshman forward Achara and deflected shot from senior midfielder Bakie Goodman forced a goal line clearance from the Hokies just after the midway point of the half. Virginia Tech soon found their way back into the game, however, and the first half finished with a more even run of play.
Georgetown nearly matched their shot total of six from Friday’s game against Maryland by the end of the first half by taking five efforts at goal, yet the half finished scoreless. “We had four, five very good goal scoring opportunities that we didn’t take,” lamented Wiese.
The second half saw more of the same from the Hoyas. Virginia Tech’s junior goalkeeper Ben Lundgaard saved a one-on-one shot from Achara and the Hokies weathered the storm from the Hoyas before creating pressure of their own towards the end of the game.
“Maybe we’re not fit enough” commented Wiese. “I think you saw the tempo go way down. A lot of guys started looking heavy-legged, and by then it’s almost too late. I think maybe as a coach I gotta look at that a little bit and see if there’s some things we can do to ameliorate that.”
Fitness concerns forced the Hoyas to make changes to a back four that performed well against Virginia Tech, and the lost continuity took its toll on the Hoyas when Verfuth struck. Wiese noted, “Both goals that we lost this weekend, (freshman defender Dylan) Nealis goes out with an injury, and then we have to shuffle some things around, and anytime you have to make a move along the back four that’s a bit of a problem.”
On the other end of the field, most of the threats the Hoyas had on goal came through Achara, a player that veteran teammate Goodman pointed to as helping to replace the void left by departed forwards Brandon Allen and Alex Muyl.
“He’s a freshman, so he’ll keep learning,” said Goodman of Achara. “He just needs more game experience, and he’ll be calm and composed, and if he keeps growing that way I’m sure he’ll start scoring the goals like its nothing.”
In line with Goodman’s comments, Wiese said of Achara, “He’s a pretty exciting player. He’s a player that Hoya fans should be really excited to come out and watch.”
The Hoyas look to rebound from another heartbreaker this Saturday at Shaw Field when they take on UConn (3-1-0, AAC). Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.
