This weekend, the Georgetown field hockey team (5-5, 1-1 Big East) suffered tough losses at the hands of Quinnipiac (3-5, 1-1 Big East) followed by American (5-4, 1-0 Patriot League). The Bobcats snapped the Hoyas’ two-game winning streak and picked up their first Big East win of the season, while the Eagles came from behind in the fourth quarter to steal the win.
Georgetown came into the weekend with back-to-back home wins against Villanova (3-4, 0-2 Big East) and La Salle (4-4, 1-0 Atlantic-10). Quinnipiac lost their first Big East game of the season against UConn (8-1, 2-0 Big East) but recovered last Sunday with a win against Vermont (4-4, America East).
The first quarter was very tame for both sides, with neither taking a shot. Quinnipiac attempted many long driven balls, but the strategy was ineffective, as the Hoyas were ready to intercept many of the passes. Georgetown had possession for most of the quarter, but only had one penalty corner to show for it.
Redshirt sophomore forward Brooke Whipkey took the game’s first shot for the Bobcats, which was easily swatted away by sophomore goalkeeper Ciara Weets. In the 21st minute, junior forward Cami Osborne dribbled into the circle off a penalty corner, sending a low driven shot towards the near post that was kicked away by the keeper. Whipkey picked up the game’s first green card in the 26th minute. With the half coming to a close, Weets dove at a charging Bobcat, keeping the game scoreless with her save.
Quinnipiac opened up the second half by lifting the ball into GU’s half, swarming around the Hoyas defense trying to force a mistake. Other than the interesting play to start the half, the quarter was very quiet, as neither team looked to take control and Weets picked up two easy saves.
In the 52nd minute, senior midfielder Inès Ruiz Martinez picked up a green card for barreling over a Georgetown defender after she lost the ball. Three minutes later, senior midfielder Michaela Bruno laid the ball off to freshman midfielder Ellie Maransky, who broke the deadlock. In the final minute of regulation, Quinnipiac pulled their goalkeeper in favor of an extra attacker. This tactical change led to freshman forward Julianna Cappello knocking in a lofted ball from Whipkey to tie the game. Regulation play ended 1-1, and the two teams headed into sudden-death overtime.
In overtime, each team fielded seven players, including the goalie, and the Hoyas started the first 10-minute half with the ball. Georgetown dominated the half but was unable to capitalize on their two shots. Senior back Emily Fraser received a green card for Georgetown and Martinez picked up her second of the game during the half.
Tired legs started to set in during the second half of OT. Neither team had any clear chances for the first five minutes, with graduate student midfielder Bianka Strubbe picking up a yellow card. In the fifth minute, Bruno dribbled into the circle before firing a shot at goal that Osborne nearly directed into the cage. Shortly after, junior back Ali Cronin played the ball to junior midfielder Jax van der Veen, whose reverse shot was saved by freshman goalkeeper Hedda Biermann-Ratjen. GU’s fans fell silent with 55 seconds left in OT when Cappello’s wide-open effort ricocheted off the post. With neither team finding the back of the cage during OT, the game headed into a penalty shootout.
Fraser stepped up to take the first stroke-off attempt for the Hoyas. When the whistle blew, she headed straight at the keeper, side-stepping to the right before roofing the ball into the top-left corner of the cage. Cappello took the Bobcats’ first attempt, dribbling around Weets for an easy tap-in. After the first round, the teams were level at one.
Sophomore midfielder Halle Gill was next up for the Hoyas and scored on her attempt. Weets forced Whipkey wide, saving her initial shot to give the Hoyas a 2-1 lead after the second round.
Osborne dribbled into the circle, taking a slapshot right away which was easily saved by the keeper. Senior forward Amanda Blum was forced wide by Weets, firing her shot into the side of the cage. These misses kept the shootout at 2-1 after the third round.
Van der Veen stepped up next for the Hoyas but was unable to outsmart the keeper with her dribbling. Stubbe leveled the shootout at 2 with the Bobcats’ fourth attempt.
Bruno was unable to give the Hoyas a lead with Biermann-Ratjen rushing out at her, while sophomore defender Amanda Funaro won the shootout for Quinnipiac with their fifth shot.
This is the second time in two years that Georgetown has narrowly lost out to Quinnipiac. Friday’s defeat was their first in the Big East and second at home this season.
On Sunday, the Hoyas traveled across town to take on American, who were coming off their first conference win of the season against Bucknell (5-4, 1-1 Patriot League).
Georgetown started the game off quickly with Osborne striking the post in the fourth minute. A few minutes later, sophomore back Sydney Stephenson’s shot was blocked off a penalty corner. After Stephenson’s blocked shot, the tide turned in American’s favor. In the 12th minute, the Eagles were awarded five straight penalty corners. The Eagles took four shots off these corners; two of them were blocked and freshman goalkeeper Megan Maynes saved the other two, picking up two saves in her first collegiate start.
The second quarter was much slower than the start of the game, with both teams locking things down defensively. Osborne took the only shot on target in the 17th minute with freshman goalkeeper Fiona Minter making an easy save. The Eagles’ only shot did not pose a threat to Maynes, flying wide of the cage. Both teams played well defensively but could not capitalize offensively, ending the first half of play 0-0.
American started off the half relentlessly, earning corner after corner. However, they only managed one shot on target during the four penalty corners. Georgetown, against the run of play, intercepted a pass and counter-attacked the mispositioned American defense. Van der Deen broke through the last line of defense, creating a two-on-one against the keeper. When Minter came out of the cage, van der Veen laid off a pass to Osborne, giving the Hoyas a 1-0, with three minutes left in the third.
The Eagles continued to put the pressure on GU’s defense, scoring a minute into the fourth quarter, after senior forward Jetter Dieckmann was found at the back post. American controlled the rest of the game, passing around Georgetown, waiting for an opportunity to come. In the 51st minute, the Eagles had a one-on-one but Maynes dove at the attacker to prevent the goal. The golden opportunity came for American on one of their 12 penalty corners, as Dieckmann found sophomore Hannah Moser with a long pass to win the game for AU.
Georgetown may have lost both games this past weekend but the future looks bright for the Hoyas. The team is finally coming together and they are eager to fight for every ball. The Hoyas have increased their intensity from the start of the season and are looking to make themselves known in the Big East this year.
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