Heading into their second match of the weekend, the Georgetown Hoyas’ resilience and aggression led them to a well-deserved 20-10 Big East win over the Marquette Golden Eagles. 

Head Coach Ricky Fried and the Hoyas (4-7, 3-3 Big East) were fired up to offset the Golden Eagles’ (5-7, 2-4 Big East) confidence from their first win April 9. Playing relentlessly and scrappily for all 60 minutes, Georgetown refused to go down without a fight, which allowed it to come out on top by the final horn. 

The start of the match was a back and forth offensive battle between the two squads. Tied at 2-2, both teams were evenly matched, securing three shots and two draw controls apiece. The Hoyas, however, ignited their impressive defensive performance early, setting the tone for the rest of the match. 

Both teams continued to answer to their opponents’ goals throughout the first half. With a stellar steal from junior attacker Ali Diamond and incredible off-ball movement from graduate midfielder Natalia Lynch, Georgetown took the lead once again to make the score 4-3 with 18:05 on the clock. Despite the Hoyas’ efforts, Caroline Steller maneuvered her way in by the crease to fire a shot in for Marquette, tying the score yet again at 4-4. 

With 13:38 to go, Georgetown found the back of the net once again with an effortless transitional sequence instigated by a caused turnover from senior defender Mollie Miller. The Hoyas began picking up speed, firing two more back-to-back goals to increase their lead by four. 

As Marquette looked for ways to put points on the board near the end of the first half, its efforts were thwarted by Georgetown sophomore goalkeeper Emily Gaven. Gaven was a dominant force in the crease in the final minutes of the first half, coming up with a crucial sequence of saves to keep Georgetown in the lead at 9-7. 

The Hoyas continued to be a dominant presence in the middle of the field leading into the second half. To make the score 10-7, first-year attacker Kylie Hazen sunk the ball in the back of the net through a stellar interception and an effortless one-on-one matchup against goalkeeper Sophia Leva. 

Despite receiving two yellow cards with 18:05 and 16:42 minutes on the clock, Georgetown allotted minimal man-up opportunities for the Golden Eagles. Junior defender Olivia Buckman forced a key turnover, which allowed Georgetown to drain the majority of time on the penalty. 

Finding their stride, the Hoyas scored five back-to-back goals in the second half beginning with 13:16 on the clock. At the final buzzer, Georgetown secured a dominant win over its Big East rival, finishing 20-10. 

While holding the Golden Eagles to only three goals in the second half in contrast to their own show-stopping 11, the Hoyas’ most notable performances came from their resilient efforts in turnovers. 

Georgetown’s grittiness has been unparalleled by many of its previous contests. Much of its success in this matchup against Marquette can be attributed to sheer aggression, and the Hoyas must maintain this intensity leading into future Big East matchups. 
Georgetown will return to Cooper Field Friday, April 16 at 3:00 p.m. against the Butler Bulldogs.