In the Third Round of the NCAA Tournament, the Georgetown women’s soccer team (16-3-3, 10-0 BIG EAST) fell 3-1 to Florida State University (12-2-4, 6-2-2 ACC). The contest was close-fought, but Florida State pulled away late in the second half to secure its place in the final eight of the NCAA Tournament.
Georgetown advanced to Sunday’s game after a penalty-kick victory over the West Virginia University Mountaineers (14-3-4, 8-0-3 BIG 12), so the Hoyas were dealing with some tired legs after the marathon match. No signs of fatigue showed in Georgetown’s early play, though. Senior forward Natalie Means produced the Hoyas’ best chance of the first half, ripping a shot that forced the Florida State goalkeeper, freshman Kate Ockene, to push the ball wide. On the ensuing corner kick, sophomore midfielder Lizzie Heller found space for a free header that sailed just wide.
That early flurry was Georgetown’s best period of play during the first half, but it seemed to awaken something in Florida State. The visitors found their footing and began pushing the ball forward, controlling more possession and showing their attacking quality. It looked like the Hoyas would reach halftime with a 0-0 tie, but with just over six minutes left, Florida State broke through when junior defender Mimi Van Zanten got on the end of a through ball and slipped a shot into the bottom corner. Her goal gave Florida State a 1-0 lead that they preserved into halftime.
Florida State kept the pressure up early in the second half, winning a corner in the second minute of the half. Georgetown failed to clear the ball, and it fell to freshman forward Nyanya Touray, who volleyed the ball into the top left corner to double Florida State’s lead.
It didn’t take the Hoyas long to respond, though. Just over 10 minutes later, the Hoyas earned a corner. In a mirror of Toure’s goal, Florida State failed to clear the corner, and a bouncing ball fell to senior midfielder Mary Cochran. She took the ball on the half-volley, unleashing a vicious strike into the top left corner and bringing Georgetown back to one goal down with just over half an hour still to play.
Just a few minutes later, Cochran nearly doubled her tally after Ockene couldn’t corral a rebound. However, Florida State applied just enough pressure to force her shot high. Florida State responded with 12 minutes left in the game, when freshman forward Jaida McGrew poked a bouncing ball past Georgetown senior goalkeeper Cara Martin to put them up 3-1.
McGrew’s goal put the game out of reach for the Hoyas, whose season ended on Sunday. The result was a difficult loss against one of the best teams in the country, but it should not diminish a very successful season for the Hoyas. Georgetown finished unbeaten in regular-season BIG EAST play, went undefeated for over a month of the season, and made it to the Third Round of the NCAA Tournament. The Hoyas fought hard to the end, and players should be proud of everything the team accomplished this year.
