The Hoyas have had a pretty good season so far – they’ve amassed five straight victories and have outscored their opponents 19-4 in eight games this season.
But all of that will mean nothing today when the Hoyas open up their Big East schedule against Villanova. The Wildcats (5-0-2) provide a good indication of how good Georgetown can truly be – they enter the game not only undefeated, but also ranked fifth in the mid-Atlantic region by SoccerBuzz. The Hoyas (7-1-0) lost 2-0 to the Wildcats in their only meeting last season.
“We had a players meeting and talked about our season starting this week,” Georgetown Head Coach Dave Nolan said. “We have done great so far, but now we have to understand that every game will come down to the wire.”
Villanova returns 18 letter winners and 10 of 11 starters from last year’s team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament. They will be led by senior forward, and all-American candidate, Nikki Mabery, who scored both goals for the Wildcats against Georgetown last year, and enters today’s contest with four goals on the season. Nolan said that stopping her will be a top priority.
“She’s a good player,” the fourth-year coach said. “She’s very good at dropping off defenders, and defensively we need to do a better job of staying with her for a certain period of time before we drop her off to the midfielders.”
Mabery will be joined up front by sophomore Erin Byrnes, who scored five goals last season, including two game winners.
It will be the most difficult task thus far this season for senior defender Karen Waskewich and the Georgetown defense.
“Villanova is a much better team than anyone we played this year,” Waskewich said. “It’s going to be a really tough battle. All Big East games are.”
Senior forward Sara Jordan and the rest of the Georgetown offense will face a defense that is fast, physical and anchored by two-time reigning Big East goalkeeper of the year, senior Jillian Loyden. Loyden, a redshirt senior, is the lone player remaining from Villanova’s 2003 Big East championship team. Loyden was selected as a first team all-American last season, and has recorded 25 shutouts and a 0.74 goals against average for her career.
Even with an offense that comes in averaging over two goals and 20 shots per game, Nolan and his team understand that their passing and shooting will need to be precise if they want to get anything by Loyden.
“We’re expecting a physical and fast game,” Waskewich said. “Similar to the Delaware game, but Villanova is a better all-around team. Delaware had great forwards, but Villanova is so strong in the middle and on defense.”
Any league opener is a big game, but for Georgetown, the team gets to open up against its biggest rival.
“This is definitely our biggest rival,” Waskewich said. “Every time we play them it’s a close game and a battle. This is definitely one of our biggest games on the Big East schedule.”
While a win today won’t avenge the 1985 NCAA basketball championship loss, it will go along way to showing the rest of the country that this Georgetown is for real this season.
“It would be huge,” Nolan said. “We have similar programs, but they have been doing it for longer and with that comes respect. For us to go and get that level of respect we have to go and beat them. If we do beat them we may receive more votes for top 30 or we may even sneak in some of the polls.”
Georgetown is already sneaking up on some, receiving one vote in the NSCAA/Adidas national poll – just as many as Villanova.
Nolan is happy to have such an important game in the friendly confines of North Kehoe.
“It definitely is an advantage playing at home,” he said. “The crowds have been great. They bring a great atmosphere to the game. It means a lot to our girls to get that home support. So it does give us a little bit of a motivational factor.”
The Hoyas kick off against Villanova at 3 p.m. on North Kehoe Field.