The No. 12 Georgetown Hoyas men’s lacrosse team (5-0, Big East) defeated the Bellarmine Knights (2-5, Southern Conference) in a 13-4 rout to close a perfect February. Coming off a decisive but hard-earned midweek victory against Mount St. Mary’s (2-3, NEC), the Hoyas jumped out to a commanding lead and remained in control throughout the contest.
On a brisk, windy Saturday, the Hoyas set the tone early, scoring five unanswered goals and snuffing out any scoring opportunities for the Knights to finish the quarter with a 5-0 lead. Freshman midfielder Graham Bundy Jr., who has had an increasing role in recent games (one goal, three assists against Fairfield, one goal and one assist against Mount St. Mary’s) quickly showed his continued development, scoring twice in the first quarter. Georgetown was also lifted by goals from sophomore midfielder Peter Thompson, sophomore attackman Dylan Watson, and senior attackman Jake Carraway. The first quarter also showcased the Hoyas’ strong team defense, with highly effective efforts by the close defense and defensive midfield units. As the clock ran down in the first quarter, Bellarmine faced several shot clock violations, unable to find good shot opportunities in a pattern that would repeat itself throughout the game.
Continuing their dominance into the second quarter, the Hoyas tacked on two more goals, including a devastating break for Bellarmine in which an errant clearing pass by senior goalie Ian Reilly was intercepted by Georgetown’s fifth-year attackman Robert Clark, who banked an easy empty-net goal. Bellarmine finally got on the board over eight minutes into the period with a goal by junior attackman Brayden Brown, who scored on an extra-man possession. The Knights followed up quickly, striking within a minute off a goal by junior midfielder Blake Roshkowski to narrow the lead to 7-2. Over the nearly seven minutes that followed before halftime, a combination of spirited defense and offensive missteps kept both teams off the board.
Despite over 10 minutes of scoreless play, the Hoyas steadily controlled the third quarter, scoring three unanswered goals – including a buzzer beater with seven seconds left by Carraway – to secure a 10-2 lead. Stout defensive play sapped the Knights’ energy while the Hoyas took advantage of a persistent face-off advantage and Bellarmine’s ongoing struggles to clear the ball. The teams traded goals entering the fourth quarter, with Carraway scoring ten seconds into the period to take an 11-2 Georgetown lead and mark a hat trick for the day. Bellarmine’s junior attackman Luke Legnard struck within a minute, but Bundy Jr. sealed his first career hat trick to bring the lead back to nine goals. Despite the margin, the fourth quarter featured spirited, chippy play, with both teams continuing their physical play and both sidelines vigorously making their cases to the officials.
Now over a third into their schedule, the Hoyas continue to receive reliable contributions from veteran leaders: Clark (two goals, four assists) showcased his versatility and lacrosse IQ as a scorer and distributor with his six-point effort (two goals, four assists); Carraway (three goals) showcased his scoring; and senior midfielder Massimo Bucci (one goal and one assist) was a steady contributor. Underclassmen are also making their presence felt, as in addition to Bundy Jr.’s hat trick, the Hoyas received points from sophomore attackman Dylan Watson (two goals) and sophomore midfielders Peter Thompson (two goals) and Declan McDermott (two assists). The defense was stifling, consistently disrupting Bellarmine’s settled offense supported by junior goalie Owen McElroy’s sublime 82% save rate, making 14 saves against three goals allowed. Overall, Coach Kevin Warne’s squad delivered a complete, dominant performance against outmatched competition.
After an encouraging February stretch, the Hoyas will seek to remain undefeated on a three-game road trip that will include Towson (0-4, CAA) next week, followed by a daunting challenge at fourth-ranked North Carolina (4-0, ACC) and the Hoyas’ road conference opener at Marquette (3-2, Big East). Follow @GUVoiceSports on Twitter for live coverage and breaking news of all sports at Georgetown.
