A late goal from graduate defender Brianne Riley gave No. 20 Georgetown Women’s Soccer (2-0-1, BIG EAST) the win over Bucknell (2-1, Patriot League) in the Hoyas’ home opener. Georgetown dominated the game from start to finish, as the Bison did not record a single shot attempt all game. The Hoyas recorded seven shots on target but were unable to find the back of the net until Riley stepped up in the 86th minute.
Despite that, though, Georgetown looked threatening from the start. Sophomore forward Natalie Means forced a diving save out of Bucknell senior goalkeeper Jenna Hall in the first minute. In the 17th minute, Hoya graduate forward Allie Winstanley lost her defender with a quick cutback and fired a shot that just missed high and wide. Georgetown’s next dangerous chance came in the 26th minute. Means fired a dangerous cross into Bucknell’s box, which fell to senior midfielder Tatum Lenain, who headed the ball on frame. Hall was forced to save the Bison once more by palming the ball over the crossbar. Graduate midfielder Julia Leas had Georgetown’s final big chance of the half with a header in the 40th minute; it was saved by Hall.
On the whole, Georgetown was dominant in the first half, controlling possession and pinning Bucknell back in their defensive half. The Hoyas moved the ball well and got shots off throughout. However, none found the back of the net. Hall had an excellent first half for the Bison in goal, making four saves. Bucknell did not put the Georgetown defense under any pressure in the first half and recorded no shots, while the Hoyas shot the ball twelve times and had four shots on target.
The Hoyas started the second half off on the front foot; in the 48th minute, Winstanley dribbled through the Bucknell defense and hit a powerful shot that flew over the crossbar. Ten minutes later, Georgetown junior midfielder Eliza Turner just missed a shot from the left side of the penalty box. It looked like Bucknell might escape with a draw until the 86th minute, when a Georgetown corner from Lenain bounced around in the penalty box until Riley finally put the ball in the back of the net. Riley’s late goal was enough for the Hoyas to emerge with a 1-0 victory in their home opener.
Overall, Georgetown played a strong game from start to finish. The Hoyas outshot the Bison 21-0 and saw much more of the ball throughout the game. However, only seven of Georgetown’s shots were on target, and the Hoyas were only able to score off of a setpiece. The Hoyas found a way to win thanks to Riley, though, who was playing in only her third ever game for Georgetown.
The Hoyas will look to keep their momentum going when they host Virginia Tech at Shaw Field on Sunday at 1 p.m. EST. For continued coverage and updates on Georgetown sports, follow @GUVoiceSports on Twitter.
