After a long day on a soggy field, new defensive leader Tim Convey was covered in mud and smiling, the true marks of a hard-fought and well-deserved win.
In a huge confidence and standings boost, Georgetown (10-7-0, 6-4-0 Big East) beat Pittsburgh (3-11-1, 2-8-0 Big East) 3-1 on Senior Day, thanks to the foot of junior midfielder Daniel Grasso and his two goals.
After a disheartening loss to Creighton last week, the Hoyas were slow out of the gate Wednesday, committing three fouls and an offside penalty in the first 15 minutes.
“We have to not come out like we did today,” Convey, a junior, said. “We were just lackadaisical, walking around out there.”
Slow start or not, Grasso energized the Hoyas when he found his touch in the 14th minute, taking a pass from senior midfielder Daniel McAnally in the box and tucking it into the left corner for his fifth goal of the season.
In the 23rd minute, junior forward Ricky Schramm had an opportunity to put the Hoyas up 2-0 when he was fouled in the box, but Pittsburgh freshman goalie Jordan Marks guessed correctly and stopped his penalty kick and the rebounded shot as well.
Schramm had another chance three minutes later but was similarly stuffed by Marks. The Hoya attack did a good job of keeping Schramm’s shot in the box and was able to muster three more shots in a short span. On a hustle play, McAnally was able to recover the third of those three and put it off the right post from eight yards out for his second goal of the year.
Georgetown entered the half two goals ahead and in good position to lock up a much-coveted sixth conference win. During the second half, senior Chris Tansey left the game after being hit hard by an opposing player. He did not return to the action, and left the field after the game in a trainer’s cart.
Playing a back line of freshmen Alex Pangraze and Alex Fairman, the Hoyas were anchored on defense by Convey while two seniors, midfielder Kevin Sindelear and defender Jeff Curtin rested from previous injuries.
The Georgetown defense kept Pittsburgh from attacking all day, but sloppy defensive play in the 68th minute allowed Pittsburgh sophomore midfielder Eric Jaeger to get a loose ball that could have been cleared. Jaeger easily scored and quickly put the Hoyas in an uncomfortable position.
Four minutes later, Grasso found the back of the net again for the Hoyas, stealing a sloppy clear and beating the keeper to the right side of the net. Grasso has four goals in his last four games with two game winning goals.
“Had it stayed at one goal in the last 15 minutes, you would have seen Jeff [Curtin] out there,” Georgetown Head Coach Keith Tabatznik said of the late Pittsburgh goal and subsequent Grasso score. “If there was no goal number three, you would have seen him.”
The all-American captain Curtin appears to be recovered from what has turned into a nagging leg injury and, while not at full strength, is back to playing shape. Tabatznik said he hopes Curtin will play next week against No. 7 Connecticut.
“That’s all up to Jeff, how he feels,” Tabatznik said.
The addition of Curtin to a defense that has found new life under Convey would be a huge lift to the Hoyas, but Tabatznik said he would not play him unless he is completely sure of his health. “I’d like him to play, but we have to be very careful,” he said. “Obviously, he’s got a future ahead of him in the game, and we have to be careful of that.”
Against a soft Pittsburgh, Tabatznik had the luxury of resting Curtin and relying on a new defensive unit to fill in. Against Connecticut (10-3-1, 5-3-1 Big East) next week, however, Georgetown may not have that ability.
Wednesday’s match was the last regular-season home game for the Hoya seniors. “It’s a nice way to go out,” McAnnally said. “I just wanted to finish strong. It’s really tough. Four years go fast.”
He emphasized, however, that “we’re glad to get this one put away and move on to Saturday. If we win Saturday, hopefully we should finish first or second and get home field or maybe a bye.”
The Hoyas have clinched a spot in the Big East tournament and, depending on the performance of division rivals, can finish as high as first in the conference. Their next game is against Connecticut Saturday at 7 p.m. in Storrs, Conn.