The No. 12/15 Georgetown University men’s soccer team (9-3-3, 5-0-1 Big East) took down the Villanova University Wildcats (5-5-5, 1-2-3 Big East) 3-0 at Shaw Field Saturday, Oct. 25.
After a scrappy start to the match, the Hoyas took full control in the middle of the first half, scoring 2 goals in 10 minutes. Late in the second half, sophomore forward Mitchell Baker delivered from close range, making it 3 goals, 3 points and 3 consecutive wins for the Hoyas.
The Hoyas entered the match coming off a two-game win streak, having soundly defeated the University of Connecticut Huskies (8-3-4, 3-2-1 Big East) 4-1 Oct. 11 and the DePaul University Blue Demons (2-7-6, 0-5-1 Big East) 3-0 Oct. 18.
Those two victories came after the University of Denver Pioneers (8-7-1) upset Georgetown’s nine-game unbeaten run following a last-minute goal to make it 1-2.
The Wildcats, undefeated in their previous 4 matches, faced the Hoyas after draws versus conference opponents Seton Hall University (7-2-6, 3-0-3 Big East) and Creighton University (8-3-3, 4-1-1 Big East) and a 3-0 victory over the Virginia Military Institute (2-11-3).
Senior forward Zach Zengue caused trouble early on for the Villanova defense, setting the tone for a high-pressure contest. Despite a lack of attempts on goal, the Hoyas won 5 corners off of Villanova in the first 15 minutes, all of which Zengue delivered into the box.
Zengue’s efforts were finally rewarded when sophomore defender Tate Lampman soared above the Villanova defense in the 16th minute to head home from close range. Lampman’s goal came in his first minutes of game time after nearly seven weeks missed due to injury.
Head Coach Brian Wiese said he was happy to see Lampman return to action.
“It was really nice to get Tate Lampman back on the field,” Wiese told The Hoya. “Getting him a goal is obviously wonderful.”
After Lampman broke the deadlock, Georgetown quickly established dominance in possession.
The Wildcats managed to win a free kick near the Hoya penalty box, but Zengue was quickest to react to the rebound. He deftly flicked the ball to onrushing junior midfielder Mateo Ponce Ocampo, who drove upfield as the Hoyas’ offense sprinted forward to support.
Ponce played in Baker, who held the ball up expertly in the Villanova box before laying it off to senior co-captain Max Viera, who finished the team move with a well-placed shot into the bottom corner in the 24th minute. Georgetown led 2-0.
The final 20 minutes of the half saw the Hoyas increase pressure on the Wildcats’ defense, who managed to avoid conceding a third through last-ditch defending, excellent goalkeeping and a bit of fortune.
Baker nearly added to the advantage in the 30th minute after tapping in a rebound from close range, but his goal was disallowed for offside.
Georgetown had several more chances, including an audaciously attempted backheel from first-year defender Will Caldwell and an acrobatic effort from Zengue that sailed over the bar, before halftime.
The Hoyas continued to push for a third goal in the second half but were left frustrated.
Just three minutes into the half, Villanova goalkeeper Alex Yagudayev clawed the ball off the line twice after a dangerous cutback situation.
In the 62nd minute, first-year midfielder Loukas Maroutsis fired a strike toward the top right corner, but Yagudayev reached the shot and parried it out of harm’s way.
Ponce nearly scored in the 68th minute, but his curling effort struck the upright, inches away from the upper right corner.
The Hoyas pressed relentlessly until they found the answer in Baker in the 80th minute. After a lovely give-and-go with sophomore midfielder David Urrutia, Baker sealed the victory for the Hoyas with a coolly slotted effort into the bottom left corner. The crowd erupted as Baker and the team stormed the field to celebrate with the student section and former men’s soccer players.
Wiese, after the match, said he was pleased with the result and the performance.
“You have to be happy in general with how that went against a conference rival,” Wiese said. “These were three really important points for us to get at this stage of the season.”
Georgetown, which leads the Big East with 16 points, looks to continue its win streak against conference opponent Xavier University (5-5-3, 1-3-2 Big East) Nov. 1 before facing Providence College (5-6-2, 3-2-1 Big East) Nov. 7 in the Hoyas’ final regular-season game.
