The Georgetown women’s soccer team has a date etched into their mind: Nov. 11, 2007. On Veterans Day, the Hoyas hope to be in organtown, W.Va., playing for the Big East championship. For a tangible reminder, the team is sporting light blue wristbands to remind them of the date.
The eight seniors on the team reached the Big East Tournament in their first two seasons on the Hilltop, but a disappointing year in 2006 did not allow the Hoyas to make a return trip. The question in 2007 is whether a strong contingent of returning players can mesh well enough with fourth year Head Coach Dave Nolan’s strongest recruiting class yet to bring Georgetown to organtown.
Seven starters return for the Hoyas from last season’s team which went 5-9-5. Most notable among them is senior forward Elaina Filauro who enters her final season with 11 career goals. Joining her at the forward position is fellow senior Sarah Fetters, who finished third on the team with two goals and five points last season.
Boasting senior goaltender Jade Higgins, Georgetown’s all-time leader in saves and shutouts, and three returning starts on a defense that let up only 20 goals last season, Georgetown should have no problem holding teams down. Finding the back of the net is another story: Georgetown averaged less than one goal per game last season.
“I feel comfortable this year that we will score goals,” said Nolan. “I knew we were good defensively and this year I think we are good defensively again, but I think we can score goals as well.”
Senior midfielder Sarah Jordan will help ignite the offense as she returns to the pitch after illness forced her to sit out 2006. After just two seasons on the Hilltop she has 10 goals.
“It’s like having a new player up front,” said Nolan of Jordan’s return.
As always, this season features many marquee matchups including road trips to No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 12 Rutgers. Last season Georgetown lost a tough 1-0 decision to Notre Dame at home but has historically struggled in South Bend.
“Every year we put up a really strong fight against Notre Dame,” Fetters said. “This year we have a very good team, so I’m very excited to play them.”
While Georgetown played tough against good teams last year, they had a tendency to slip up against beatable teams. A last minute loss to a top-25 Louisville team was followed up by a 1-1 draw to a .500 Pittsburgh squad. This year the Hoyas hope to reverse this trend.
“We need to win every game that we are supposed to,” Fetters added. “We need to play Manhattan as if we are playing Notre Dame.”
The Hoya offense clicked in a 2-0 exhibition victory Saturday over Loyola. Freshmen midfielder Ingrid Wells led the way with a goal and an assist in her first collegiate match.
Scrimmages and exhibitions games behind them, the Hoyas are now focused on the D.C. Invitational this weekend at American University. They play Richmond on Friday at noon, followed by anhattan on Sunday at noon, as well.
“These non-conference games are important towards getting ready for the Notre Dames and the Villanovas,” said Filauro. “I definitely think that we should and we need to win both these games this weekend.”
Georgetown looks for repeat performances from junior midfielder Stephanie Zane and sophomore defender Norah Swanson, both of whom made the all-tournament team last year.
Both weekend bouts are set for noon starts at American University.