The Georgetown University field hockey team (0-6, 0-0 Big East) traveled to Philadelphia, Pa., last Friday to do battle with the University of Pennsylvania Quakers (2-2, 0-0 Ivy League). After an 8-1 thrashing, Georgetown’s losing streak has now extended to five games, while Penn picked up its first win of the season. Penn joins Davidson College, Appalachian State University, Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Richmond in extending the Hoyas’ losing streak. The Hoyas have been outscored in those games 23 to 7, scoring no more than two goals in any of the matches.
Quaker midfielder Emily Stafford got the scoring started off with a rebound, the second goal of her young collegiate career. Georgetown answered right back to knot things at 1-1, courtesy of junior midfielder and forward Emma van der Veen on a penalty corner. Van der Veen was assisted by junior midfielder Elena Leahy and senior forward Vivienne Trumpbour. Both teams went scoreless for the rest of the first period, leaving things tied to start the second period.
Penn shut down the Georgetown offense for the rest of the game, not allowing a single shot on goal in the second and third periods. A shot by Trumpbour soon after van der Veen’s goal was Georgetown’s only other shot on goal all game. Penn netted seven unanswered goals in the next three periods, scoring three in the second, two in the third and two in the fourth. Penn forward Livia Loozen broke the tie a couple of minutes into the second period, and forward Allison Kuzyk scored just 37 seconds later off a penalty corner. Loozen scored two more times, both in the third period, to complete a hat trick.
In net, junior goalkeeper Bailey Tietz and first-year goalkeeper Ella Fahey split time evenly. In the first half, Tietz recorded one save, allowing four goals. In the second half, Fahey recorded three saves in her debut for the team, allowing four goals as well. For Penn, goalkeeper Frederique Wollaert manned the net for all 60 minutes, recording one save and allowing one goal.
Georgetown accrued several cards throughout the game. Although play was clean throughout the first half, green cards were given to junior midfielder and forward Sophie Towne and sophomore midfielder Lily Jamison in the third period. Leahy was awarded a yellow card late in the third period. In the fourth, Jamison received another green card. Penn midfielder and defender Julia Ryan also received a green card with two minutes left in the game, the only card the Quakers would receive all game.
The Hoyas’ season has achieved unwanted historical status thus far, as their 0-5 record and -16 goal differential across the first five games marks the worst start since 2013 when the team lost seven straight games en route to a meager 2-16 record throughout the year. Their goal differential through the first five games of the 2013 season was a miserable -19.
The Hoyas next traveled to Lawrenceville, N.J., Sunday, Sept. 10 to play Rider University (2-4, 0-0 Northeast Conference). Despite strong defensive play, they failed to muster a single goal, falling to the Broncs 1-0. Both teams went scoreless in the first half, but Rider broke through with a goal early in the third period, giving Rider their second win of the season. The loss pushes Georgetown’s losing streak to six and their goal differential through six games to -17. They will look to right the ship as they begin conference play Sept. 15 against Villanova University (2-3, 0-0 Big East), who came out victorious against Georgetown last year by a score of 5-1.
