After their huge 3-2 win against Villanova (3-3, 0-1 Big East) on Friday, the Georgetown field hockey team (5-3, 1-0 Big East) continued their good run of form against La Salle (3-4, Atlantic-10) with a 2-1 win this afternoon. The Hoyas offense continued their hot streak, peppering the La Salle goal with shots while the defense held together, denying the Explorers on each of their 10 penalty corners.
Georgetown came into the game riding the high from their second all-time win against the Wildcats, while La Salle was trying to bounce back from a tough 3-1 loss to Towson (1-6, CAA) on Friday.
The first quarter proved to be a back-and-forth battle, with both teams putting early pressure on the opposing defensive lines. La Salle started the quarter with two quick corners within the first two minutes. The Explorers’ first corner was blocked, leading to the second which was misplayed outside of the circle before the ball bounced wide of the cage. A few minutes later, the Hoyas received their first penalty corner of the game. Junior forward Cami Osborne received the corner but her shot was blocked before it could reach the cage. Halfway through the quarter, freshman goalkeeper Chloe South swatted senior midfielder Michaela Bruno’s shot wide. In the 11th minute, Georgetown almost received a gift from La Salle, as the Explorers narrowly missed playing the ball into their own cage. The quarter ended with La Salle applying pressure offensively, forcing sophomore goalkeeper Ciara Weets to make two difficult saves.
Georgetown opened up the game in the second quarter, scoring in the 16th minute. Bruno stole the ball from a La Salle defender before her powerful slapshot from the edge of the circle deflected off of South’s outstretched leg into the back of the net. The Hoyas dominated the rest of the quarter, holding the Explorers shotless, and took a 1-0 lead into halftime.
The Hoyas headed into the third quarter with momentum, looking to hold off La Salle for their second straight win. In the 32nd minute, junior back Ali Cronin played in a penalty corner to Osborne, who had her shot saved before senior back Emily Frazier recovered the rebound and forced South to make yet another save. A minute later, sophomore midfielder Halle Gill, swarmed with defenders, hit a reverse shot, finding the bottom right corner of the cage. Gill’s first goal of the season gave the Hoyas a 2-0 lead early in the third quarter. With a minute left in the quarter, junior midfielder Rialee Allen recovered after a failed corner, finding freshman forward Casey Reilly, who cut the lead in half.
The Explorers continued to put the pressure on the Hoyas, attempting four straight penalty corners, starting in the 51st minute, before Georgetown could finally clear the ball. La Salle only managed to find the target once during the quarter, failing to find the back of the net. Although the Explorers looked like the team most likely to score, GU’s defense remained strong, keeping their winning streak alive.
Today’s win increased the Hoyas’ win streak to two games, and it is also the first time this season that they have won both games on a weekend doubleheader. GU’s offense was precise in both games, hitting the target on seven of their ten shots against La Salle.
Next Friday, Georgetown will take on Quinnipiac (2-5, 0-1 Big East) in the final leg of a three-game homestand before taking a short trip to American (3-4, Patriot League) on Sunday.
The games are set to begin at 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., ET on Friday and Sunday, respectively. Live stats and a stream are available on guhoyas.com. Follow @GUVoiceSports on Twitter for coverage and continuing coverage of fall sports at Georgetown.
