November 23, 2004
WASHINGTON, D.C.--The 2004 men?s soccer team ended a successful 2004 campaign with the best record since 1998. The 2004 men?s soccer team finished with an overall record of 11-8-2 and a 5-4-1 record in BIG EAST play. The 2004 team advanced to the BIG EAST semifinals for the second time in three years, defeating Villanova in penalty kicks 5-4, before losing to Seton Hall 1-0 in overtime to end their season. Head coach Keith Tabatznik recorded his 200th career victory in the 2-1 win over Delaware.
The 2004 The Hoyas were honored with post-season accolades as sophomore Ricky Schramm was honored as BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year. Schramm is only the second person ever in the history of Georgetown soccer to receive this honor, joining Eric Kvello (1997). In addition, Schramm was named All-BIG EAST first team and junior Jeff Curtin and senior co-captain Dan Gargan were named All-BIG EAST second team. One member was honored as CoSida Academic All-America as senior defender Paul Brandley earned All-District II Second team.
The Hoyas also received several individual honors throughout the season, beginning with the D.C. College Cup where Tim Convey, Curtin, and Gargan were named to the All-Tournament team after defeating GWU 1-0 and losing to American 2-1 in overtime. During the week of October 4, Schramm was named BIG EAST Offensive player of the week for his efforts, as well as being named to the Soccer America Team of the Week. Sophomore Andrew Keszler was named BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week during the week of November 1 as well as being honored as ECAC Goaltender of the Week during the week of November 3. Junior defender Curtin was named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the week during November 1.
Several Hoyas climbed the Georgetown records ladder during the 2004 season. In the single season records, Schramm tied for sixth with 32 points, tallying 13 goals and six assists. Schramm also tied for sixth in single season goals with 13. Senior Trevor Goodrich tied for sixth in single season assists with 11, while goalkeeper Keszler tied for sixth with single season shutouts with four. In the career records, Gargan reached 17th in career points with 40. Gargan also tied for 19th All-time in career goals with 11, while Schramm is 11th with 22. Goodrich ended his career with 25 assists, placing seventh. Keszler also places ninth in career shutouts with four.
The Hoyas got the season off to a winning start when they rallied to defeat Delaware 2-1 off a winning goal by junior Danny McAnally with 10 minutes remaining in the game. Freshman Mike Glaccum notched his first career point for the Hoyas. The win was Tabatznik 200th career win.
For the next two games, Georgetown traveled to American for the annual D.C. College Cup. The Hoyas added another win in the 1-0 shutout against George Washington, with keeper Keszler notching his first career shutout. Junior defender Jeff Curtin scored the lone goal of the game off assists by McAnally and Gargan. In the second game of the D.C. College Cup, American outlasted the Hoyas 2-1 in overtime to hand Georgetown its first loss of the season.
In the next two games, the Hoyas would face two nationally ranked opponents. Georgetown next traveled to College Park, Maryland where they would first face #14 Penn State. Despite Georgetown getting off to an early lead off a goal by Schramm, the Hoyas would fall 3-2 in overtime. After losing two in a row, the Hoyas were looking for a win, but they would not get one as they fell 4-3 to #3 Maryland.
With the BIG EAST regular season rapidly approaching, the Hoyas looked to rebound against Towson. The Hoyas defeated the Tigers 2-0 with Gargan notching the game winning goal 24 minutes into the game, for the second shutout of the year.
The Hoyas would enter the BIG EAST regular season on a one game win streak, hoping the win would carry them against two nationally ranked opponents. In the first BIG EAST match-up of the year, Georgetown traveled to #4 Notre Dame. Despite scoring first, the Irish would defeat the Hoyas 4-1. Georgetown would then travel to #5 St. John?s, hoping for a little luck, but none would fall as the Red Storm shutout the Hoyas 1-0.
After dropping their first two BIG EAST games, the Hoyas made up for their losses by stomping on non league opponent Mount St. Mary?s 8-1. Senior Kaiser Chowdhry led Georgetown with two goals and two assists while Schramm added two goals and an assist. The Hoyas kept their scoring momentum as they topped BIG EAST opponent West Virginia 2-1 and Chowdhry again leading the squad with a goal and an assist. Georgetown kept on the winning streak as Schramm lifted the Hoyas over the Orange of Syracuse 3-2 where he notched a hattrick. Six days later, the Hoyas faced Providence where they outlasted the Friars 1-0 in double overtime off a goal by Schramm. The Hoyas carried the momentum of the wins with them as they faced the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers. Jeff Curtin scored the game-winning goal for Georgetown with the final score of 3-2.
After winning four straight games, it looked as though Georgetown was going to keep on rolling through Villanova after Curtin knocked in the first goal only seven minutes into the game off an assist from Gargan, but it was too good to be true. The Wildcats came back to defeat the Hoyas and end their four game win streak with a 2-1 victory. Georgetown next traveled to Pittsburgh to hopefully get back on the win streak, but the Panthers denied the Hoyas that chance as Georgetown lost 2-1.
Next on the docket for the Hoyas was #12 ranked Boston College. Both teams played an even game through the first half and the second yet the Eagles knocked in a goal with 13 minutes remaining. With the Hoyas realizing time was running out and just missing scoring opportunities, Curtin snuck a goal past the BC keeper with only 20 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game off assists from Schramm and Goodrich. The score remained 1-1 after two overtime periods. Georgetown used the momentum of the BC game to claim victory over Navy in a 2-1 victory. Senior Paul Brandley scored the first goal 17:35 into the game and Goodrich scored the game winner two minutes into the second half.
With the BIG EAST regular season coming to a close, the Hoyas faced #14 Seton Hall where they needed a victory to secure a spot in the post season BIG EAST Championships. After a scoreless first half for both squads, Georgetown needed a little luck and a few goals. The Hoyas got what they needed as Schramm scored four minutes into the second half for the game winner as Seton Hall fell 4-0 on North Kehoe Field. The win clinched the fifth spot in the BIG EAST Championship. In their final regular season game, the Hoyas hosted VMI. After having a 2-1 lead at the half, VMI came back to tie the game at three at the end of regulation. Both squads played an even first overtime period, but in the second overtime Gargan ended the game for VMI on a header from Goodrich.
In the first round of the BIG EAST tournament, Georgetown traveled to the number four seed Villanova. The Hoyas scored first at the 69 minute mark, yet were unable to hold the Wildcats off as they scored to tie the game at 78:46. That?s where the score remained through a pair of overtime sessions, setting up the penalty kick finale. Villanova inserted freshman Jason Friel into net for the session. Curtin converted his opening kick for Georgetown and Brett Stassfurth did the same for the Cats. After a miss by each squad, Glaccum converted for the Hoyas with Villanova?s Felix Vincent answering with a conversion. Senior Gargan knocked in Georgetown?s fourth attempt while Pat Gallagher duplicated the feat for Villanova. Brandley beat Friel on the Hoyas? fifth attempt before VU?s Chris Edgar sent his attempt wide. By virtue of the penalty kicks, Georgetown advanced to the BIG EAST Semifinals for the second time in three years.
For the semi-finals of the BIG EAST tournament, Georgetown faced Seton Hall. After a scoreless regulation, the teams advanced to overtime. Unfortunately for the Hoyas, Seton Hall capitalized on a scoring opportunity and claimed victory, defeating the Hoyas 1-0. The loss ended the 2004 season for the Hoyas.
With a final mark of 11-8-2 and a 5-4-1 BIG EAST record, the Hoyas set the sights of returning to the BIG EAST Championship in 2005. Georgetown departs five seniors as Ellery Bledsoe, Brandley, Chowdhry, co-captain Gargan, and Goodrich ended their careers with their most successful season on the Hilltop.
