Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

MEN’S LACROSSE | Georgetown Clinches First Big East Regular Season Championship on Senior Day

On Senior Day, which celebrated the careers of 15 seniors and graduate students on the men’s lacrosse team, the Georgetown Hoyas routed the Providence Friars 14-5 on Saturday to extend the Hoyas’ current win streak to six games.

Just a week after their nail-biting 11-10 overtime victory over No. 9 Denver, the No. 7 Hoyas (10-1, 9-1 Big East) showed no signs of fatigue against the Friars (4-8, 3-7 Big East), scoring five unanswered goals in the opening eight minutes of the game. 

From that moment onward, the Friars never threatened Georgetown; the Hoyas finished the first quarter with a comfortable 6-1 lead. 

The Hoyas’ dominance extended into the second quarter. Their aggressive attackmen tacked on three more goals, while the Hoyas’ defense held the Friars to just one second-quarter goal. Georgetown entered halftime with a 9-2 lead. The second half featured much of the same aggressive play from Georgetown, which scored five goals while only conceding three en route to a 14-5 victory.

Although the scoreline may point to an ineffective Providence attack, the team’s attackmen continued to pressure the Georgetown defense throughout the game. The Friars took a total of 30 shots on target throughout the game, barely beating Georgetown’s 29 shots on target. Georgetown senior goalkeeper Owen McElroy had 24 saves, matching his career-high while recording the second-most saves in a single game by any Georgetown goalkeeper. McElroy’s success prevented Providence from gaining any sort of momentum throughout the game.

GUHoyas | Graduate attacker Nicky Petkevich keeps his eye on the goal while driving downfield. Petkevich recorded three assists in the Hoyas’ win.

McElroy’s defense, along with the help of the defensive trio of seniors Gibson Smith and Joe LiCalzi and sophomore James Donaldson, kept the Friars to just five goals on 51 total shots. The Hoyas only let five goals past them in this game — the fourth time this season they have held their opponent to five goals or fewer. Such a feat is a testament to the strength of their defense, which has conceded the fewest goals of any team in the Big East.

Head Coach Kevin Warne’s team also continued their impressive offensive season. The Hoyas have scored the second-most goals in the Big East, reached double-digit scores nine times and amassed at least 14 goals seven times. 

Graduate forward Jake Carrawaywas recently named one of 25 nominees for the 2021 Tewaaraton Award, which honors the best player in collegiate lacrosse. He scored a game-high five goals on Saturday, bringing his goal tally to 39 this season. 

Saturday’s win guarantees the Hoyas at least a share of the Big East regular-season championship. The conference crown will be the team’s first-ever in the Big East, and its first regular-season conference title since 2007 when men’s lacrosse was a member of the now-defunct Eastern College Athletic Conference Lacrosse League.

Georgetown will head to Baltimore on April 29 to take on the Loyola Greyhounds as the Hoyas look to continue their momentum heading into the Big East tournament on May 6.

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