WASHINGTON -

The Georgetown University softball team (8-30, 2-9 BIG EAST) hits the road this weekend as it continues BIG EAST conference play with three games against the Villanova Wildcats. Game one on Saturday is scheduled for noon with game two to follow at 2:00 p.m. The conference opponents conclude the series on Sunday with first pitch slated for noon. Live stats and a broadcast will be available at www.guhoyas.com.

The Hoyas are coming off a tightly-contested 13-11 loss to the George Washington Colonials earlier this week. Georgetown tallied 14 hits against GW, including a three-run home run from junior catcher Gabriela Elvina (Edison, N.J./Bishop George Ahr). Freshman designated player Sarah Bennett (Owings, Md./Northern) added a game-best four hits while sophomore outfielder Theresa Kane (Mystic, Conn./Stonington) and freshman outfielder Mallory Belknap (Scottsdale, Ariz./Xavier College Prep) chipped in two hits each.

After trailing by six through the first three innings, the Blue & Gray used a sacrifice fly to right field from Samantha Giovanniello (Floral Park, N.Y./Floral Park Memorial) to start a five-run fourth inning. Bennett singled to center to drive in Kane, before Elvina belted a three-run home run to left field, helping GU close within one run, at 8-7. The Hoyas tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the six to tie the game at 10, but the tie was short-lived as the Colonials plated three runs in the top of the seventh inning.

Overall, Giovanniello paces the Hoyas offensively as she leads the team in average at .351 this season in 114 at-bats. She is tops on the team in hits with 40, including a conference-best 13 doubles. She also leads the Hoyas in home runs with six and RBI with 38.

The senior has also handled the majority of the pitching duties for the Blue & Gray. Giovanniello is 6-20 on the year with an ERA of 5.91. She has struck out 94 batters in 141.0 innings pitched.

The Wildcats have reeled off 17-straight wins and have won six-straight BIG EAST games. Villanova currently sits second in the BIG EAST behind first-place DePaul (20-21, 10-1 BIG EAST). Nikki Alden was named BIG EAST Softball Player of the Week on Monday after going 5-for-13 (.384) with seven RBI, four home runs, and four runs scored against Creighton. Alden is hitting .350 on the year with a team high seven home runs. Pitcher Kate Poppe (17-9) was 4-0 and compiled an ERA of 0.70 in 30.0 innings pitched. She earned BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll honors this week for her performance.

Since 2009, Georgetown leads the all-time series at 11-5. Last year, the Hoyas claimed the series, 2-1, against the Wildcats at Guy Mason Field. In the series finale, GU registered nine hits including two from junior Alessandra Gargicevich-Almeida (Riverside, Calif./Martin Luther King).