Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

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Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

MEN’S LACROSSE | No. 4 Irish Prove Too Much

COURTESY GRANT TOBIN/THE OBSERVER Sophomore midfielder Charles McCormick grabbed two goals and added an assist in Sunday's loss.
COURTESY GRANT TOBIN/THE OBSERVER
Sophomore midfielder Charles McCormick grabbed two goals and added an assist in Sunday’s loss.

The Georgetown men’s lacrosse team (5-7, 2-2 Big East) started in style but ran out of luck down the stretch in Sunday’s 10-8 road defeat to the No. 4 Fighting Irish of Notre Dame (9-2, 3-1 Big East).

The hosts were seeking their sixth win in seven games, but it was the Blue and Gray who surged to an early lead in South Bend. Four different Hoyas found the back of the net within the opening eight and a half minutes, jumping Georgetown to a 4-0 advantage with 6:46 remaining in the first quarter.

The sophomore midfield tandem of Charles McCormick and Joe Bucci were set up by classmate Reilly O’Connor on the first two goals of the game, and the stand-out sophomore attack followed the two assists with a tally of his own to hand Georgetown a 3-0 lead. When Bucci then assisted senior attack Travis Comeau on the first of his team-high three goals, the Blue and Gray appeared to be in a comfortable position early on.

Notre Dame was next to make a statement, however, as Georgetown’s momentum fizzled before halftime. The Irish struck back less than a minute after the Hoyas’ fourth goal and halved their deficit shortly thereafter on a breakaway opportunity following a turnover. When Comeau intervened to alter the course of McCormick’s bounce-pass towards the crease — directing it straight into the net — the Blue and Gray appeared to be back on track, but this would be their final goal of the half.

The visitors managed seven shots in the second quarter — the same number as in the opening period — but found themselves rid of the lethal finishing touch which had given them their lead. Notre Dame crept back into striking distance with two goals in the final five minutes of the half and headed to the locker rooms with a 16-14 halftime shot advantage and a 7-for-11 record on faceoffs.

The opening minute of the second half was one which the Hoyas will likely want to expunge from their collective memories. The hosts made it a cumulative 6-1 scoring run with two goals in the opening 31 seconds of play. A Bucci pass then connected with Comeau, who fired home from the right side of the crease with 12:30 remaining in the quarter to tie the score at six apiece, but this would be the last time that the Blue and Gray as much as shared the lead.

Attack Connor Doyle and midfielder Ryan Foley scored in succession to give the Irish the lead and a firm command on the game — one which they would not relinquish. A long-range effort from McCormick kept Georgetown within striking distance, but 8-7 was as close as the Hoyas would get.

Junior attack John Scioscia made the lead 9-7 in favor of the Irish, and the hosts finished the quarter with a remarkable 17 shots to the Hoyas’ three.

A sloppy, turnover-riddled fourth quarter rendered futile any of Georgetown’s attempts at a comeback, and though the teams traded goals to finish the game, senior attack Zac Guy’s strike with 1:14 remaining was simply too little, too late for the Blue and Gray.

While the Hoyas were solid in their overall performance against such a highly ranked conference foe, the result was a disappointment, particularly given the late-game heroics which led to a thrilling 14-13 overtime victory over St. John’s in Georgetown’s previous contest.

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