WASHINGTON – The Georgetown University field hockey team scored early and held on to secure Friday's 1-0 victory over the Davidson Wildcats. With the win, Georgetown improves to 1-0 on the season, while Davidson moves to 0-1.
 
"Today was such a great start for us and I couldn't be happier for the girls and this team," Head Coach Christy Longacre said. "We will build and learn from this game as we prepare for Appalachian State on Sunday."
 
Davidson started the action down in North Carolina, with a shot just 1:57 into the game that forced freshman goalie Ciara Weets (Springfield, Va./New Hope-Solebury) to make her first collegiate save. Georgetown then responded quickly with its first shot and goal off a penalty corner in the sixth minute. Sophomore forward Ali Cronin (Hershey, Pa./Hershey) inserted the pass to Jax van der Veen (Exton, Pa./The Agnes Irwin School) who found freshman Sydney Stephenson (Bel Air, Md./Bryn Mawr School) on the corner. Stephenson's shot then ricocheted off the post and off the back of Davidson's keeper and into the cage. Both Cronin and van der Veen were credited with an assist and Stephenson earns her first collegiate goal and opens the scoring for the Blue & Gray's 2018 campaign.
 
After a fairly even first half hour of play, Davidson looked to equalize late in the first half as they put up multiple shot attempts off two penalty corners with no success. The GU defense held strong but the Wildcats led the Hoyas 4-3 in shots going into the second half. Weets finished the half with one save while Davidson's goalie was forced to make two saves in the first 35 minutes of play.
 
Again, Davidson came out fast in the second half with a penalty corner and a shot within a minute of play, but once again, Weets was there to keep the game in Georgetown's favor. Both teams exchanged shots during the second half of play but neither team managed to convert in what ended up being a scoreless second half. Stephenson and junior forward Lindsay Getz (Northfield, Ill./Loyola Academy) led the Hoyas with two shots apiece on the night, adding to the combined nine shots from the Blue & Gray. Davidson finished with a total of 10 shots and Weets finished the night with five saves. "Ciara had such a huge presence for us in the back and showed great maturity in the cage today," Longacre added.
 
This win marks Longacre's first win as head coach for the Georgetown Hoyas.
 
Georgetown will continue its road swing against Appalachian State in Boone, North Carolina this Sunday, August 26. Live stats will be available at www.GUHoyas.com.