Sports

Coverage of Hoya sports.

Sports

Women ready for Red Storm, Big East Tourney, and beyond

“We are going to hit it pretty hard,” senior defender Norah Swanson said of the preparation for the game this Sunday. “We will be focusing on how we can beat them: what are our strengths, what are their weaknesses.”

By October 29, 2009

Sports

Hoyas not ready to say goodbye

Typically, a bye week during the football season gives players the opportunity to rest and recover from injury, and allows coaches additional time to regroup and implement new strategies. But for Georgetown, fourteen days without a game may have other implications as well. For some, the time off may have been a huge relief. A week with no game scheduled meant that for the first time since the season opener, the Hoyas did not have to fear another unsuccessful Saturday.

By October 29, 2009

Sports

Georgetown gives up the fight to Irish in overtime

The better team doesn’t always win, and unfortunately for the Georgetown men’s soccer team, that was true Wednesday afternoon against Notre Dame. The Hoyas (8-6-1, 5-4-0 Big East) lost a heartbreaker after outplaying and outshooting the Irish for the majority of the game.

By October 22, 2009

Sports

The wonderful Wizards of odd

Ever since Gilbert Arenas made a name for himself as the NBA’s most lethal jester—matching his flashy, daring, and effective play with quirky off-court antics—the Wizards have been a relevant presence in the Eastern Conference. But for the past two seasons, Arenas has been largely absent due to injuries, and several of his sidekicks (Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison) have spent significant time on the bench with him. Without their principals, the Wizards languished at the bottom of the East. Now bolstered by a healthy roster—other than a banged-up Jamison, who will miss the rest of the preseason with a sprained shoulder—and the off-season additions of veteran sharpshooter Mike Miller and slashing two-guard Randy Foye, the Wizards certainly hope to improve on their 19-win showing last year. How much better they will actually be is anyone’s guess.

By October 22, 2009

Sports

The Sports Sermon: Team of destiny

It’s good to be back. After spending last October without a purpose—forced to look on as Philadelphia celebrated and the Tampa Bay Rays, of all teams, had their shot at glory—my team is back in the baseball playoffs, finally, and I’m enjoying the greatest experience a fan can have: the dominant playoff run.

By October 22, 2009

Sports

What Rocks: Samantha Kietlinski

For college coaches, recruiting can be a stressful process. They spend hours each day poring over high school results and talking up potential recruits over the phone. Yet, every once in awhile, the hard work reaps huge rewards: a star freshman arrives and contributes immediately to the team’s success. For Georgetown swimming head coach Steven Cartwright, this has been one of those seasons, as his recruiting efforts resulted in a strong freshman class, headed by Samantha Kietlinski.

By October 22, 2009

Sports

Hoyas don’t want to forget these senior moments

Georgetown’s women’s soccer team assured themselves a bye in the first round of the Big East Tournament over the past weekend. The Hoyas (12-3-2, 6-2-1 Big East) shut out Pittsburgh 3-0 on Friday, and defeated West Virginia on Sunday’s Senior Day game.

By October 22, 2009

Sports

Only one October

I think the high point in postseason baseball coverage was 2007, when Dane Cook lent his legendary enunciation skills to the immortal phrase, “There’s only one October.” During the Red Sox-Angels series that year, I took up ESPN columnist Bill Simmons’ drinking game challenge to take a shot every time the commercial featuring an overly excited Mr. Cook played. I ended up passing out in my dorm’s common bathroom with the door locked, twice resisting my friends’ attempts to crawl under the stall and help me out. This is a testament to the dangerous power of October.

By October 15, 2009

Sports

Football needs to talk it out

Every football fan can recall the image of the Indianapolis Colts’ Peyton Manning lining up behind center in the no-huddle offense, directing his receivers with a plethora of hand-signals, head movements, and vocal commands over the cacophony of a sell-out crowd.

By October 15, 2009

Sports

Time to think tournament

As the calendar pages flip past October, the Georgetown women’s soccer team (10-3-2, 4-2-1 Big East) has little time left to make a statement. And the final games of the regular season leave no room for slack. While the team had a successful weekend with wins against Cincinnati and Louisville, their four remaining games include competition against the top two teams in the Big East: West Virginia and Notre Dame.

By October 15, 2009

Sports

The Sports Sermon: Who are Georgetown?

After last year’s 16-15 finish, replete with a stunning second half collapse and first round NIT exit, John Thompson III and the Georgetown men’s basketball team probably don’t want any reminders of last season.

By October 15, 2009

Sports

Comeback falls short against No. 6 Maryland

Due to their proximity and similar athletic status, some claim that Georgetown and Maryland share a crosstown rivalry. It’s hard to say that rivalry even exists in men’s soccer—rivalry requires competition. Before their meeting at North Kehoe Field earlier this week, the No. 6 Terrapins had won all 26 matches they’ve played against the Hoyas. On Tuesday, Georgetown showed that it can keep things competitive, but Maryland nevertheless extended its streak to 27 games.

By October 15, 2009

Sports

The Sports Sermon: Playoffs? Playoffs?

In October 1978, the Yankees and the Red Sox met to decide the American League East division title in baseball’s most famous one-game playoff: a Yankees victory that capped a 14-game comeback. That fall also marked the beginning of my father’s freshman year at Boston College, which naturally attracts a large portion of its student body from both New England and the New York metropolitan area. Needless to say, tensions ran high on campus, sparking a food fight in the dining hall and, more impressively, inspiring some adventurous student to hang a banner across the bell tower of Gasson Hall, a 200-foot tall Healy-esque building. The banner read, “Sox Yanked Again.”

By October 7, 2009

Sports

Senior DB looks to break up Hoyas’ losing ways

With six games left in his senior season, Georgetown defensive back Travis Mack has all the right answers.

By October 7, 2009

Sports

In middle of pack, Hoyas turn to three-headed attack

In any sport, it is always better to finish strong than to start strong. For the Georgetown women’s soccer team, the question is, can you do both? Thanks to a potent offense, the Hoyas (8-3-2, 2-2-1 Big East) had an impressive start to the season, but in the rough and tumble Big East, that only gets you so far. Currently, the team is tied for sixth overall in the conference and tied for third in their division. With six games left in the regular season, the Hoyas have some serious work to do.

By October 7, 2009

Sports

Cross country finds its stride

To paraphrase famed distance runner Steve Prefontaine, whoever has the most guts wins the race. Facing several nationally ranked teams last Saturday at the Adidas Wisconsin Invite, the Hoya men’s cross country team heeded Prefontaine’s words.

By October 7, 2009

Sports

D.C.’s only hope

Alexander Ovechkin has it all. Overflowing trophy case? Among a veritable slew of other awards, look to his back-to-back Hart Trophies, deeming him the National Hockey League’s best player. Playoff experience? If you count losing a Hollywood-scripted seven-game series last year against a Pittsburgh Penguins squad led by his two rival superstars, then, yes. A cast of uber-talented young teammates? Let’s put it this way: Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Green, and Alexander Semin—the team’s three best players not named Ovechkin—are all under the age of 25. Money? Try $124 million for thirteen years, the biggest contract in NHL history. Freakish talent? You would be hard-pressed to find an analyst who can describe him without mentioning the names Gretzky or Lemieux. Video game covers? Check. Music video cameos? Check. Supermodel girlfriends? Naturally.

By October 7, 2009

Sports

‘Skins will win

When the Washington Redskins became the first team to lose to the Detroit Lions in 21 months last weekend, both local and national media reacted venomously, calling for the team to be blown up and for head coach Jim Zorn to be fired. One Redskins fan even posted his “loyalty to the team” for sale on eBay (though with a starting price of $10,100, I doubt there will be many takers). As Washington Post columnist Mike Wise put it, if you lose to the worst team in football, doesn’t that make you the worst team in football?

By October 1, 2009

Sports

Football looking to score

If you look at the statistics, the Hoyas (0-4) have been more than respectable passing this season. But success on the offensive side of the ball has not translated to the scoreboard. In four games the Hoyas have only tallied a mere 31 points, averaging 7.8 points per game, while allowing their opponents gaudy totals of 93 total points and 23.2 points per game. The Georgetown offense has averaged over 220 yards passing per game, but those yards have not been able to produce any points.

By the October 1, 2009

Sports

Field hockey ends 33-game slump

After not winning a single Big East match since they joined the conference, the Hoyas finally ended their two-year drought last Friday, beating Rutgers 3-2 in dramatic fashion. Sophomore midfielder Meggie Taylor scored the winning goal with twelve minutes left in the game. Needless to say, it was an exciting win for a team desperate for a positive result.

By October 1, 2009