No. 11 Georgetown women’s soccer team opened up Big East play on Shaw Field on Sunday against Marquette, the Hoyas’ fifth consecutive victory. 

Within two minutes of kick-off, senior forward Paula Germino-Watnick powered a shot on goal that was saved by the Golden Eagles’ (3-7, 0-1 Big East) goalkeeper. Germino-Watnick continued to lead the Georgetown (7-2-1, 1-0 Big East) offense well into the second half, recording two corner kicks and two more shots, one of which was on goal, through the first 14 minutes of the half. 

The Hoyas continued to take hold of possession, breaking through the Golden Eagle defense in the 16th minute when freshman midfielder Julia Leas intercepted a goal kick and fired the ball into the back of the net from 30 yards out. This goal marks Leas’ third of the season and first conference goal of her collegiate career. 

In the play following Georgetown’s goal, Marquette responded with a chance of its own by sending a shot in, drawing freshman keeper Anna Leat off her line. Senior defender Meaghan Nally fell in behind Leat to clear the ball away before it found the net, preserving the Hoyas’ 1-0 lead. 

Georgetown would go on to record eight shots, with five on goal, in the first 45 minutes of play, with the defense holding Marquette to two shots, one of which was on goal. Germino-Watnick accounted for five of Georgetown’s shots in the first half, providing constant offensive pressure before she was substituted for junior forward Jenna Menta in the 29th minute. 

Graduate forward Amanda Carolan received a cross from sophomore forward Boo Jackson who tapped the ball past the Marquette keeper to put Georgetown up 2-0 shortly after the whistle blew for the second half in the 49th minute. The Golden Eagles answered with a corner kick and shot of their own, which was ultimately saved by Leat.

Later in the half, Marquette tallied another two shots on goal, both of which were stopped by Leat. The Hoyas responded to these three shots with 12 of their own in the second half on their way to outshooting the Golden Eagles 20-5 for the game. 

The Hoyas cemented the victory with a final goal in the 82nd minute, again off the foot of Carolan. The goal came as chaos erupted in the box after Nally fired off two consecutive shots off a corner kick. The rebound from Nally’s second shot landed at the feet of Carolan, who quickly sent the ball back in to score. Off this goal, Carolan now moves into the fifth spot on Georgetown’s all-time scoring list with her 29th and 30th career goals in the match. 

The Blue and Gray finished with a 3-0 victory, holding Marquette to five shots, three being on goal, and four corner kicks on the day. Georgetown recorded 20 shots overall, 14 of which were on net, and six corner kicks. The win increases Georgetown’s streak to five, as they prepare for a game against the Villanova Wildcats. 

Many Hoyas stood out throughout the solid victory, led by Carolan, who has now been named the Big East offensive player of the week for her two goals in the game. Leat, who recorded her third shutout of the season and has now tallied a total of 260 scoreless minutes in net, was named the Big East freshman of the week. Nally also received recognition on the weekly honor roll for her defensive efforts, which led to Georgetown’s fifth shutout of the season. 

Head Coach Dave Nolan highlighted impressive play and resilience from several of his players in the match. 

“Today was a tough battle but I thought our kids really responded,” Nolan said in an interview with GUHoyas. “Carson Nizialek and Sarah Trissel at midfield really set the tone for us and did a good job owning the field. Defensively, we didn’t give them much. On another day, we probably could have had two more goals. Meaghan Nally played great in the back. Up in the front, we had moments where we looked very dangerous. Overall, I’m very happy with our performance today.” 

Georgetown will continue Big East play at Villanova on Thursday. The Hoyas look to record another victory over the Wildcats after winning 1-0 in overtime last year on a golden goal scored in the 99th minute. Kickoff is slated for 4 p.m. at Higgins Soccer Complex in Villanova, Pa.