When it rains, it pours.
After scoring only three goals in nine games to start the season, Georgetown netted two scores within two minutes late in the second half of a 2-0 win over Providence Saturday afternoon on North Kehoe Field.
“We were wondering if the scoreboard worked. We thought it might be stuck on zero, so it’s good to see it works,” Head Coach Brian Wiese joked after his team scored their first goal at home this season.
Playing in front of freshman goalkeeper Matthew Brutto, who has two shutouts in his three starts, the backline of the Hoyas (3-7, 2-4 Big East) was stifling as usual, holding the Friars (5-4-1, 2-2-1) to just three shots on goal. Georgetown kept Providence’s leading scorer, sophomore forward Jonathan Medcalf, from attempting a shot, and held their second-leading scorer, all-American senior midfielder Ryan Maduro, to one shot which went wide.
“[The defense] tells us every game, ‘if you guys finish one, we’ll hold them to a rock,'” junior midfielder Corey Zeller said.
Zeller did the defense one better, as he scored two goals and staked them to the squad’s largest lead of the season.
In the 75th minute, Providence headed a Georgetown corner out of the box. The ball found the foot of Zeller, who ripped a low shot that deflected off of the Friars’ junior goalkeeper Timothy Murray and trickled across the line.
“We kind of knew the first goal we got would be a little messy, but you take it when you can get it.” Wiese said. “Goals change games and goals give you confidence.”
The score ended a 320-minute scoreless streak for the Hoyas, and it gave them plenty of confidence.
Just two minutes later, freshman forward Jose Colchao got behind the Providence defense on the left side. Colchao dribbled into the Friars’ box and cut a pass back to freshman defender Mostafa Ebrahimnejad. The referee awarded Georgetown a penalty kick when Ebrahimnejad was taken down from behind. Zeller, who netted a penalty kick in a 2-1 loss at Cincinnati two weeks ago, had missed a free chance last Friday in a 1-0 loss to Rutgers. Wiese elected to stick with Zeller as the team’s penalty kick man, and the junior buried the shot in the right corner of the net.
Colchao, who came on as a reserve, is quickly becoming a fan favorite with his quickness and relentless pursuit of the ball.
“He’s built like a tank, and he’s the fastest guy on the team but doesn’t look it,” Wiese said of the 5-foot-9, 170-pound freshman. “He causes so much trouble for defenses because he gets there quicker than they think he will.”
The Friars best chance in the waning minutes of the game came when senior defender Matt Otte gained control of the ball on the left side about 10 yards out. He turned and ripped a shot, but hit sophomore defender Len Coleman in the chest. Coleman seemed to be in the right place all game, disrupting Providence’s offense and clearing the ball with his size and speed.
Georgetown attempted 17 shots and put nine on goal in the match. The Hoyas also dominated the corner kicks, earning seven to the Friars’ two.
Georgetown will look to win back-to-back games for the first time this season on Tuesday at 3 p.m., when George Washington (5-3) pays a visit to North Kehoe Field.