Oct. 10, 2008

Box Score

College Park, Md. - The Georgetown University field hockey squad (0-11, 0-2 BIG EAST) dropped a tough 16-0 decision to the No. 2 Syracuse Orange (13-0, 3-0 BIG EAST) Friday evening at the University of Maryland Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex. The Hoyas were out-matched by some of the top scorers in the BIG EAST and despite a number of solid defensive plays, they could not keep the Orange out of the circle.

The Syracuse attack was almost immediate as the Orange came out and scored less than two minutes in off of a rebound from a save by GU keeper Deirdre Crovo (Millersville, Md./Severna Park). The Hoyas held `Cuse for six minutes, but once again the Orange came back with back-to-back goals to make it 3-0. Over a ten-minute period, the visitors added four more scores including two off of corners making a comeback unlikely for the Hoyas. Syracuse concluded the half leading 11-0 scoring four goals in the final 13 minutes despite solid play by Crovo in goal.

Shannon Taylor led the Orange for the half with three goals and two assists, eight additional players scored throughout the period. Martina Loncarica and Maggie Belfort each had a pair of assists for the half. The Hoyas were outshot 34-1, their one shot came off the squad's lone corner of the first 35 minutes. Crovo tallied 17 saves during the half for Georgetown.

"We never stopped fighting and it shows a lot about our character in how we didn't give up from start to finish," Georgetown head coach Tiffany Marsh said after the match. "We never hung our heads, no matter what the score, we just got the ball out of the cage and put it back in the middle and kept playing. I was proud of our effort."

The Hoyas stepped up the defense in the second despite the lopsided score. After giving up 11 goals in the first, the defense managed to slow the potent Syracuse attack allowing five in the second. During the second GU took an opportunity to disrupt the Orange's flow.

Taylor hit her fourth goal of the game three minutes in, but the Hoya defense then managed 10 scoreless minutes. Two quick goals added to the total late and Tracy Deitrick hit the last with three minutes remaining making the final 16-0.

The Orange outshot the Hoyas, 48-3, and took 18 corners to GU's two. Crovo finished with 23 saves in the game.

Georgetown will be back in action next Wednesday as they host the Towson Tigers at 6 p.m., at the UMD Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex.