Another dominant Hoya performance, thanks to some returning players and a clutch brace from sophomore forward Mitchell Baker, allowed the No. 11 Georgetown University men’s soccer team to take down the Providence College Friars 2-0 on Nov. 13 to advance to the Big East final.
In the second Big East semifinal of the night — and the second matchup between Georgetown and Providence in the past week — the Hoyas (11-3-4, 6-0-2 Big East) shut out the Friars (6-7-3, 4-2-2 Big East), after a draw in their last game of the regular-season Nov. 7.
Players on both teams who were missing from last Friday’s match returned to action, and the Friars had no home-field advantage — both of which contributed to the Hoyas’ win. On the Friars’ end, forward Bruno Rosa, a second team all-Big East selection and the team’s second leading scorer, came back into contention after a yellow card accumulation kept him out of the last regular season match.
Junior midfielder Eric Howard returned to play for the Hoyas after he missed the last two games of the regular season due to a concussion. Junior defender Oliver Stafford also returned to play on restricted minutes after missing the last month of play with an injury.
Georgetown Head Coach Brian Wiese said both players’ returns increased his defensive line’s maturity and helped the Hoyas secure the shutout.
“Eric and Ollie are both juniors, and having that experience back on the field helps see out our shutout,” Wiese told The Hoya.
The Hoyas were quick to assert their dominance and stormed into an early lead in the 4th minute. Senior midfielder Zach Zengue earned Georgetown a corner and sent the ball toward the near post. Sophomore forward Mitchell Baker, using his height to his advantage, jumped up and headed the ball neatly into the back of the net, putting the Hoyas up 1-0 early.
Providence quickly responded, seeking an equalizer. In the 6th minute, the Friars earned a free kick, and sent a shot toward the middle of the net where senior goalkeeper Tenzing Manske was waiting to punch the ball out. In the 13th minute, Providence found their first, albeit very weak, shot attempt of the night. Manske was quick to make the easy catch.
Georgetown soon returned to their dominant performance on offense with a pair of close opportunities in the 16th minute. Junior midfielder Matthew Helfrich sent up a shot in the 16th minute that sailed outside of the net. The Friars momentarily gained back possession before the Hoyas went on the counterattack.
Senior midfielder Max Viera sent the ball across the box to Zengue before a Providence defender redirected it toward the net. Baker attempted the tip-in, but Providence goalkeeper Ryan Carney was quick to stop the ball. Zengue ran in for the rebound, but Carney managed to secure the ball a split second before Zengue could make contact.
The Hoyas drew their second corner of the night in the 21st minute, and a bobbled clearance almost saw the ball find its way into the net. Georgetown continued making offensive attacks throughout the first half, but Providence — repeating their successful tactics from the week prior — was quick to put their bodies in the way for blocks. Throughout the first half, the Hoyas sent up 5 shots, with 2 on goal, and the Friars sent up 2, each on goal. The half ended with Georgetown still up 1-0.
Entering the second half, the Hoyas continued to dominate. Viera took the first shot of the second half in the 51st minute, which was blocked by a Providence defender. The Friars responded, sending up 3 shots in the span of a minute, all of which were blocked. Providence picked up a corner in the 56th minute and a free kick in the 57th minute, but failed to capitalize on either one. In the 63rd minute, the Friars had a close miss off another free kick, which the Hoyas barely managed to defend during a short offensive drought for Georgetown.
The Hoyas’ defensive tide quickly came to an end as Viera drew a corner in the 65th minute and Baker had a subsequent miss short of the near post. Junior midfielder Mateo Ponce Ocampo found another scoring opportunity for the Hoyas in the 68th minute, but his attempt sailed wide of the right post, failing to arc into the net.
In the 70th minute, Georgetown secured the win. Baker tapped in a Ponce Ocampo assist near the net to put the Hoyas up 2-0 and secure a brace — and his 11th goal this season.
Ponce Ocampo, Baker and Zengue continued the Hoyas’ offensive firepower and racked up multiple near misses. A quick pair of shots from Baker and Zengue in the 82nd minute almost found the back of the net, but Carney was quick to make both saves.
The Friars sent up the last shot of the match in the 86th minute — their second on goal of the half — which Manske tipped outside of the left post. Manske maintained the clean sheet as the match ended with the Hoyas up 2-0, and Georgetown advanced to the Big East final.
Georgetown outshot Providence 15-10 and outcornered Providence 6-4, a valiant recovery from last week’s performance.
Wiese said the team effectively adjusted their strategy following their prior match against the Friars.
“They were probably better than us on a lot of aspects of the game last time, and we made a couple of adjustments with how we were building our shape and how we were pressing, and I thought it just put us a lot more on the front foot in general,” Wiese said. “The guys scored a couple of great goals, and we could have — should have — scored a couple more good ones too.”
“Overall, for the performance and the setting and for the stakes, the guys showed up and performed really well tonight,” Wiese added.
Baker, who scored the Hoyas’ two goals, said the team’s mental fortitude was the paramount factor in the team’s win.
“It felt unreal, but the main thing was winning, and I think the team put in such a good team performance, mentality was unreal,” Baker told The Hoya. “I think that was the difference maker. I think it was a great team performance and really fun.”
The Hoyas now prepare to return to the Maryland SoccerPlex Sunday, Nov. 16, at 12 p.m. to face the University of Connecticut Huskies (11-3-4, 5-2-1 Big East) in the Big East final. Georgetown will be looking to repeat its success from last year and capture its seventh Big East title in the past eleven years.
