Coming off a victory that snapped its six-game losing skid, the men’s lacrosse team hopes to finish its 2017 campaign on a high note when it hosts St. John’s on Saturday for Senior Day.
Georgetown’s (3-10, 0-4 Big East) last test was an 11-9 road win over Mount St. Mary’s (4-9, 1-4 NEC), which put an end to a streak of losses spanning back to early March.
Head Coach Kevin Warne said the win gives the team a boost of confidence as it prepares for its season finale.
“It was good for the guys to bounce back after a tough loss at [No. 15] Villanova (8-5, 3-1 Big East), which basically ended our Big East hopes,” Warne said. “It was good for them to get a win, and I think that’s really important. We went through some adversity in that game as well, but I think the guys handled it pretty well and fought back.”
Sophomore attack Daniel Bucaro, redshirt senior attack Peter Conley and sophomore attack Austin McDonald each posted hat tricks in the victory. Bucaro’s four-goal performance, the seventh hat trick of his career, was a game-high. Sophomore attack Craig Berge rounded out the scoring for Georgetown with a goal of his own and contributed a game-high three assists.
Conley was named to the Big East weekly honor roll for his efforts in the win, as well as freshman goalkeeper Jack Stephenson, who recorded a .500 save percentage in the net.
Since Georgetown did not qualify for postseason play, this Saturday’s game will mark the final competition of the team’s 2017 season. With an 11-day break between the Mount St. Mary’s win and Senior Day, Warne said the team is using its ample practice time to prepare for a win.
“We’re still trying to find the balance of having fun, getting better, developing the young guys and making sure that we’re prepared for Saturday,” Warne said. “At the end of the day it’s still a conference game and it matters.”
Warne said the day marks an important celebration for the entire program; in addition to the Senior Day tributes, the team will also dedicate a locker room to former Head Coach Dave Urick, Warne’s predecessor. Urick posted a .733 win percentage through his 33 seasons coaching at the collegiate level, 23 of which were at the helm of the Georgetown program. Urick came to Georgetown after 10 years coaching at Hobart College in New York.
“There’s a lot going on, and we want to make sure we feel good about what we do on the field, and make sure we understand that everything we’re doing is bigger than us,” Warne said. “We’re doing it for the program and making sure that the seniors leave their legacy.”
St. John’s (1-12, 0-4 Big East) enters Saturday’s matchup hungry for a win. The Red Storm have been winless since early March, with their last loss coming at the hands of the Villanova Wildcats in an 18-3 decision last weekend. The contest marks the last opportunity for both Georgetown and St. John’s to earn a single win in conference play.
Georgetown also faced off against St. John’s in its 2016 season finale, a road contest that ended in a 9-6 loss. Bucaro, then a freshman, led the Hoyas on offense with three goals and one assist.
If the Hoyas finish with a win Saturday, they will have doubled their total wins from the 2016 season. Warne said a victory would establish a good foundation for the team’s preparations in the months ahead.
“If we handle this game the right way, we’re going to feel good about going into the offseason on a good note,” Warne said.
Amidst all the program’s planned events for Saturday, the Georgetown athletic department is also hosting a “Cargo Shorts Retirement Party at the game. The promotion will be marked by a retirement speech-writing contest, donation boxes for used cargo shorts and other related activities.
Opening faceoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. at Cooper Field.