The No. 11 Georgetown men’s soccer team wrapped up its regular season with a 2–2 draw against the Providence College Friars (6-6-3, 4-4-2 BIG EAST) on Friday night in Rhode Island. The result capped an unbeaten BIG EAST season for the Hoyas, who finished 10-3-4 overall and 6-0-2 in conference play to claim the regular season championship.
Providence came out strong, dictating possession in the opening minutes and pressing high against Georgetown’s back line. The Hoyas weathered the early pressure and struck first in the 25th minute on a swift counterattack. Junior midfielder Mateo Ponce Ocampo burst down the left wing and slid a pass across the face of the goal, where sophomore forward Mitchell Baker calmly finished from close range to give Georgetown the lead.
The Hoyas added to their lead nine minutes later, after sustained pressure in the attacking third. A low strike from sophomore midfielder David Urrutia was deflected by the Providence goalkeeper, but senior midfielder Zach Zengue was quick to the rebound, slotting home his 13th of the season to make it 2–0.
Providence responded almost instantly. Less than a minute after Zengue’s goal, Providence freshman midfielder Angelo Ventrella seized on a scramble in the penalty area, steering the ball past the keeper to spark life back into the Friars. Providence continued to push forward, controlling possession and outshooting Georgetown 10–5 in the first half, but the Hoyas entered the break with the 2–1 advantage.
Providence maintained this momentum in the second half, keeping Georgetown pinned back for long stretches. Senior goalkeeper Tenzing Manske made several key saves to protect the lead. But in the 76th minute, the Friars leveled the match 2–2 as Ventrella met a curling corner with a sharp header that slipped past Manske.
Both Georgetown and Providence continued to fight for goals to bring them on top, but the match remained deadlocked through the final whistle. Although Providence outshot Georgetown 16-6, the Hoyas’ organization and defensive discipline limited the quality of the Friars’ chances as they held steady to preserve the result and close out conference play unbeaten. Manske anchored the defense with four vital saves.
While the Hoyas were unable to hold their early lead, they nevertheless completed an undefeated conference slate and clinched the top seed in the BIG EAST tournament. Georgetown will meet Providence once again in the semifinal on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Maryland SoccerPlex.
