The Georgetown club ice hockey team went into this past weekend with a 2-0 record, including a win over a talented Princeton squad. The Hoyas played two games in as many nights against two solid teams, American and Virginia. Georgetown came away splitting the two games, defeating American, 5-4, while falling to the Cavaliers by a score of 7-3.

The game against American could have gone either way. The shots on goal were almost even for both teams, with Georgetown holding a 24-23 advantage.

The Eagles scored first, but the Hoyas came back with two goals in the first period. Sophomore forwards Charlie Gerbron and Keith azza lit up the scoreboard for Georgetown. Mazza’s goal came on a power play.

Junior forward Dan Percella widened the lead to 3-1 after his goal in the second period. American ended the period down by only one goal after scoring with 4:12 to go.

Gerbron scored his second goal of the game in the third period, but American would answer with two goals to tie the game at four with 6:33 remaining. Georgetown called a timeout at the two-minute warning that paid off. Sophomore center Mike Chepucavich scored to win the game for the Hoyas.

Head Coach Brad Kent felt that the game shouldn’t have been so close.

“We had several opportunities to score and couldn’t capitalize,” he said.

But there was no time to savor the victory as Georgetown headed down to Charlottesville, Va., the next night to face the University of Virginia. The Cavaliers, like the Tigers, were a step up on Georgetown in the division standings, but this did not intimidate the Hoyas.

For the first two periods, both teams skated side by side, aggressive in getting to the puck. After the first period the score was even at two, both goals for Georgetown coming from junior forward Trevor Martin. He was assisted on the first goal by senior defensemen Bryant Welch, and the second goal came on a Georgetown power play.

The score was tied again after two periods, 3-3. Mazza added the Hoya goal on an assist from graduate student Mike Jackman.

Fatigue may have played a factor as the Hoyas did not have the strength to survive in the third period. Virginia came back with three unanswered goals, including one on a power play, to capture the win.

Junior goalie Pat Winter said Georgetown played tough through two periods but “the team just ran out of gas in the third period,” he said. “We know we played well against Virginia, who last year won the Atlantic Coast Conference.”

The Hoyas look to rebound on Nov. 11 when they face Loyola on the road.