May 13, 2009
Washington, D.C. - The Georgetown University women's soccer team released their 2009 schedule earlier today. A perennial national power and a NCAA regional semifinalist will both highlight a non-conference slate that also features two local rivalries. In BIG EAST play, the team will go up against seven of the top nine teams from a season ago, including National Runners-up Notre Dame and NCAA Tournament participants, Rutgers and West Virginia. Last year, the Hoyas received votes in the final national polls after winning their most games ever in conference play and reaching the league tournament for the fourth time in five years.
Georgetown gets things going on August 16, when they travel to Charlottesville, Virginia for an exhibition contest with the No. 12 Virginia Cavaliers. Last season, the Cavaliers were a NCAA Regional Semifinalist and are usually one of the top teams in the ACC, as well as the nation.
GU will officially open with local rival American on August 22 on North Kehoe Field and will look to make it five wins a row against the Eagles. Always a tough contest, this one should set the tone for an exciting season on the Hilltop.
The Hoyas stay in the area next weekend as they take part in the annual DC Invitational. The squad will be paired up against Bryant University and Georgia Southern and will look to continue their success in the local tournament, having lost only once in the last three years.
The following week will be the most challenging for the Blue & Gray as they host No. 19 James Madison on September 2 and Santa Clara on September 6. The Dukes were a NCAA Regional Semifinalist last season and have not lost to the Hoyas the last three times they have met. Santa Clara will be the first West Coast Conference opponent in GU history and the Broncos, the 2001 National Champions, usually challenge the top teams in the nation every season.
Georgetown closes non-conference play with a game at George Washington, a home contest with Robert Morris and a trip to Penn. The Hoyas are 5-1 all-time against GWU and 4-0 against Robert Morris and the two games will close a seven-game non-conference D.C. stand for GU. GU's final non-conference game will be a contest at Penn, a team that tied the Hoyas, 2-2, last season. In fact, the Hoyas trailed 2-0 with 14 minutes remaining before goals from Nicole Smith and Toni Marie Hudson kept the team undefeated in non-conference play (5-0-2) last season.
The ladies open BIG EAST play on September 18 when they host Villanova. The Wildcats were 7-0 when GU visited them last season and after a 3-0 loss, finished the season 4-6-1 and missed the conference tournament. Villanova senior defender Kelly Eagen is one of the best defenders in the conference after being named second team all-conference in 2008.
The team hosts No. 21 Rutgers, another NCAA Regional Semifinalist, on September 25. The Hoyas received a second-half goal from Kelly D'Ambrisi with 20 minutes remaining to beat the Scarlet Knight last season, 1-0. Rutgers returns midfielder Gina DeMaio, an All-BIG EAST selection last year along with two second-team honorees, goalkeeper Erin Guthrie and forward Jenifer Anzivino.
The Hoyas will then embark on a three-game road trip with games at Seton Hall, Providence and UConn. The Hoyas have defeated the Pirates four of the last five meetings, including a 2-0 win in South Orange last season, and have not lost to the Friars in BIG EAST play since 1996.
UConn was the BIG EAST Runners-up last season and will be led by BIG EAST honoree, midfielder Kacey Richards. Georgetown and Connecticut have knocked each other out of the BIG EAST tournament the last two seasons and have met four times since the tournament's inception. In fact, Georgetown's only win at UConn came in the BIG EAST Championship quarterfinals in 2007.
GU returns home to close the 2009 regular-season schedule at North Kehoe Field with four games in October. Louisville comes to town on October 9 after the Hoyas defeated the Cardinals for the first time ever last season, 1-0 on a late Samantha Baker goal. Cincinnati visits two days later and the Hoyas will look to maintain their perfect record at home against the Bearcats.
The following weekend, Georgetown will look for payback against Pittsburgh, a team that defeated them 2-1 in double overtime last season and then against No. 14 West Virginia on Senior Day. The Mountaineers also bested the Hoyas last season, 2-1 in overtime. WVU made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season and will be led by last season's BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year Carolyn Blank.
The regular season ends on the road for the Hoyas for the second-consecutive year with games at DePaul and Notre Dame. The Hoyas are 3-1 all-time against the Blue Demons so the big game of the weekend should be the battle with the reigning BIG EAST champions, No. 2 Notre Dame.
Led by last season's BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, Melissa Henderson and conference honoree Courtney Rosen, the Fighting Irish will once again be one of the top teams in the nation in 2009. Not only Georgetown be playing a top team in a place they have never won before, but it will also be Senior Night for ND and the game will be televised on the Fox Soccer Channel as their National College Game of the Week.
Georgetown looks to return to the postseason for the fourth time in five years as the BIG EAST Championship First Round will be played at campus sites on October 29. The quarterfinals will also be played at various campus sites on November 1. The BIG EAST Championship itself will be hosted by UConn and the games will be played at Morrone Stadium in Storrs, Connecticut on November 6 and 8.
