The No. 5 Georgetown men’s soccer team (12-4-1, 5-2-1 Big East) played a man up for more than half of Saturday’s game thanks to a first-half red card issued to St. John’s (9-6-2, 2-4-2 Big East), but this advantage wasn’t enough. The Hoyas gave up a shorthanded goal in Queens, N.Y., to lose 1-0, all but erasing hopes of winning a share of the Big East regular season title.

The match had serious postseason implications for both sides, although in very different ways. Georgetown needed a win in its final two games to clinch at least a share of the Big East championship. St. John’s needed a win to keep its postseason hopes alive.

The defenses dominated early in the game, with neither team managing a shot until the 18th minute, when freshman midfielder Alex Muyl forced the Red Storm goalkeeper to make a save. The possession and pace of the game was even for much of the first half, but scoring chances were limited. Georgetown would muster just one more shot the rest of the half, again by Muyl, compared to five from the other side. The Hoyas also created only half the number of corner kicks of the Red Storm, showing that the team had trouble playing and possessing the ball in the opposing half.

“The first half was very even. They had a couple good chances, and we had a couple good chances,” Head Coach Brian Wiese said. “There wasn’t a lot in it.”

With three minutes remaining in the half, St. John’s committed a flagrant foul. The Georgetown team took exception to the play, which led to a confrontation between several players from both teams. In the scuffle, a Red Storm player aimed a punch at a Georgetown player and was subsequently ejected.

The Hoyas found more offensive success in the second half with the advantage of a shorthanded opponent. The team, aided by the return of freshman defender Josh Yaro from injury, did not allow a Red Storm shot for almost 20 minutes and did not concede a corner kick. The offense may have taken more shots and controlled the ball for more time, but a goal remained out of reach on Saturday. It was the third time the team has been shut out, and Georgetown is 0-2-1 in those games.

“Them losing a man to a red card, in a way, almost made things harder because they became even more disciplined and sitting deeper,” Wiese said.

Fifteen minutes into the middle of the second half would prove to be the difference in the game. Georgetown was unable to create an offensive opportunity or put a shot on goal from the 65th to 80th minute, but in the 71st minute, St. John’s freshman midfielder Miguel Alves received a pass on the left flank and drove to the corner of the 18-yard box. He then shot low and to the right post, putting the ball past the diving effort of junior goalkeeper Tomas Gomez.

“They were hoping to get the odd break or one or two chances to go,” Wiese said. “And create something off of a transition moment and find a way to nip a goal, which is exactly what happened.”

The final 20 minutes of the match saw just two shots for the Hoyas, only one of which was on frame, and the game ended with a score of 1-0. The Red Storm held their line defensively after scoring, and brought on an extra defender to help absorb pressure.

“There were a lot of moments for long stretches in the remaining 20 minutes where every player they had on the field was in their own penalty box defending,” Wiese said.

The opportunity to play against a team who is a man down is rare, and Georgetown will look back on the game as a missed opportunity. The Hoyas will now have to put the loss behind them and turn their focus to their next game, which is against Villanova.

“To lose those three points was a really frustrating one for the team. It’s something where we have to bounce back fairly quickly,” Wiese said. “I think if we can get three points at home against Villanova, it will put us in a really good spot.”