Upon returning home for the first time in two weeks, the Georgetown field hockey team (1-15, 1-3 Big East) found another tough Big East opponent waiting for them.

As the season continues and the Hoyas enter the thick of their conference schedule, Head Coach Tiffany Marsh knows the games are going to continue to get tougher.

“It is the second-best conference in the country behind the ACC,” she said. “It is a tough test – week in and week out.”

For the young Hoyas, it is difficult to compete with the superior teams in the Big East. The Villanova Wildcats (8-5, 2-2), came to the District on a cold, wet Friday afternoon looking to even up their Big East record.

The Wildcats have played competitive games with some of the best teams in the country and are receiving votes in the national polls. On Friday, they showed why they are gaining respect from the national media.

The wet conditions slowed the game down for the first 10 minutes, as neither team was able to manage a shot. Villanova quickly picked up the pace, however, as they outshot the Hoyas 8-1 over the remainder of the half.

The Wildcats opened the scoring 15 minutes into the game as junior forward Sam Haas found herself on a breakaway and beat freshman goalkeeper Clodagh Coghlan for the goal. Villanova senior midfielder Emily Donaldson tacked on two more goals before halftime as the Wildcats held a 3-0 advantage after the first stanza.

The second half was more evenly played as Villanova outshot Georgetown 10-5 and had eight corners to Georgetown’s seven. Nevertheless, junior forward Dana Ramsden scored two second-half goals and Villanova escaped with an easy 5-0 victory.

For the Hoyas, freshman goalkeepers Coghlan and Briana Pereira split the time in net. It is difficult for freshmen to step right in and instantly make an impact playing in the Big East, but Marsh thinks Coghlan and Pereira are up to the task.

“Both are doing great,” she said. “Both are in a position where they can contribute. They are very competitive, but also very supportive and they help each other. I am glad they are in the same grade so they can go through this process together and they can learn from one another.”

With the entire team comprised of mostly freshmen and sophomores, the whole season is a learning process. The more games the Hoyas play, the more experience they will get, and that is something that will help in the future.

On Sunday, the Hoyas got a break from their conference schedule as they traveled to Lewisburg, Pa., for a game against Bucknell. The Bison (9-6) provided a much more reasonable test than the experienced Wildcats did.

The weather cooperated for this matchup and the field was in good condition, providing for an evenly played game. Bucknell opened the scoring 10 minutes into the game as senior forward Austin Thomas was able to tip in her sixth goal of the season.

The remainder of the half was back and forth as both teams generated great chances. As time expired in the half, the Hoyas were awarded a penalty corner. With the clock at zero, junior defender Annika Bannon took the corner for the Blue and Gray. Bannon distributed the ball to freshman midfielder Katy Wingo, who provided the assist for freshman midfielder Kimberly Keating to score her second goal of the year. The goal capped a great half for Georgetown as it entered the break tied at one.

The Hoyas carried their momentum over to the first few minutes of the second half where they generated more excellent scoring chances. They could not keep up this level of play, however, and Bucknell quickly took over the game.

For the final 20 minutes, the Bison dominated ball possession and scored two late goals to take the 3-1 victory.

Georgetown looks to get back into the win column this Wednesday as they take on inter-city rival American University. The game starts at 3 p.m. at the William I. Jacobs Recreational Complex at American.

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Upon returning home for the first time in two weeks, the Georgetown field hockey team (1-15, 1-3 Big East) found another tough Big East opponent waiting for them.

As the season continues and the Hoyas enter the thick of their conference schedule, Head Coach Tiffany Marsh knows the games are going to continue to get tougher.

“It is the second-best conference in the country behind the ACC,” she said. “It is a tough test – week in and week out.”

For the young Hoyas, it is difficult to compete with the superior teams in the Big East. The Villanova Wildcats (8-5, 2-2), came to the District on a cold, wet Friday afternoon looking to even up their Big East record.

The Wildcats have played competitive games with some of the best teams in the country and are receiving votes in the national polls. On Friday, they showed why they are gaining respect from the national media.

The wet conditions slowed the game down for the first 10 minutes, as neither team was able to manage a shot. Villanova quickly picked up the pace, however, as they outshot the Hoyas 8-1 over the remainder of the half.

The Wildcats opened the scoring 15 minutes into the game as junior forward Sam Haas found herself on a breakaway and beat freshman goalkeeper Clodagh Coghlan for the goal. Villanova senior midfielder Emily Donaldson tacked on two more goals before halftime as the Wildcats held a 3-0 advantage after the first stanza.

The second half was more evenly played as Villanova outshot Georgetown 10-5 and had eight corners to Georgetown’s seven. Nevertheless, junior forward Dana Ramsden scored two second-half goals and Villanova escaped with an easy 5-0 victory.

For the Hoyas, freshman goalkeepers Coghlan and Briana Pereira split the time in net. It is difficult for freshmen to step right in and instantly make an impact playing in the Big East, but Marsh thinks Coghlan and Pereira are up to the task.

“Both are doing great,” she said. “Both are in a position where they can contribute. They are very competitive, but also very supportive and they help each other. I am glad they are in the same grade so they can go through this process together and they can learn from one another.”

With the entire team comprised of mostly freshmen and sophomores, the whole season is a learning process. The more games the Hoyas play, the more experience they will get, and that is something that will help in the future.

On Sunday, the Hoyas got a break from their conference schedule as they traveled to Lewisburg, Pa., for a game against Bucknell. The Bison (9-6) provided a much more reasonable test than the experienced Wildcats did.

The weather cooperated for this matchup and the field was in good condition, providing for an evenly played game. Bucknell opened the scoring 10 minutes into the game as senior forward Austin Thomas was able to tip in her sixth goal of the season.

The remainder of the half was back and forth as both teams generated great chances. As time expired in the half, the Hoyas were awarded a penalty corner. With the clock at zero, junior defender Annika Bannon took the corner for the Blue and Gray. Bannon distributed the ball to freshman midfielder Katy Wingo, who provided the assist for freshman midfielder Kimberly Keating to score her second goal of the year. The goal capped a great half for Georgetown as it entered the break tied at one.

The Hoyas carried their momentum over to the first few minutes of the second half where they generated more excellent scoring chances. They could not keep up this level of play, however, and Bucknell quickly took over the game.

For the final 20 minutes, the Bison dominated ball possession and scored two late goals to take the 3-1 victory.

Georgetown looks to get back into the win column this Wednesday as they take on inter-city rival American University. The game starts at 3 p.m. at the William I. Jacobs Recreational Complex at American.

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