WASHINGTON – The Georgetown University men's soccer squad allowed three second-half goals falling to the Xavier University Musketeers (3-0-3), 3-2, Saturday afternoon at Shaw Field in both teams' BIG EAST Conference opener.  With the loss the Hoyas drop to 3-1-1 on the season and 0-1 in league play.
 
"I think you have to give Xavier a lot of credit, especially in the second half, they played the game more on their terms," said Georgetown Head Coach Brian Wiese.  "Getting the goal changed our mentality, and if we have real aspirations to win the league and be a top team we can't become complacent with a 1-0 lead.  Today it was a matter of our older guys needing to be a little older.  We had too many guys who forgot how hard it is to win a BIG EAST game."
 
The Hoyas possessed for much of the first half, but the Xavier defense packed it in and allowed few real opportunities for the Blue & Gray.  The Musketeers' chances came on counters with a pair of good looks.  However, freshman goalkeeper Giannis Nikopolidis (Athens, Greece / Nea Genia Zirdi) made a pair of stops to keep it scoreless.
 
With 10 minutes left in the period, Nikopolidis made the save of the half as he stopped a ball with serious pace at the near post.  This gave Xavier life as the Musketeers began to push forward, especially on counters, pressuring the GU defense.
 
In the 44th minute, junior forward Riley Strassner (Avon, Conn. / Avon) was tripped up in the box surrounded by Musketeer defenders.  This resulted in a Georgetown penalty kick which was buried by senior captain Kyle Zajec (Westport, Conn. / Staples) to make it 1-0 in favor of the Blue & Gray at the half.
 
The Hoyas opened the second half with a pair of solid opportunities forcing Xavier keeper Zachary Nelson to make two saves.  In the 65th minute, the Musketeers tied it up as Simen Hestnes sent it across the goal and Cameron Belle dove at the far post heading it in to make it 1-1.
 
The Musketeers found the go-ahead goal in the 78th minute as XU was sending in balls off of corners.  Following the broken set piece, the ball when to Matt Nance at the endline.  He crossed it high in front of the net and Nikopolidis was able to get a hand on it.  The ball fell to Jacob Goodall who shot it right back in to put Xavier ahead, 2-1.
 
The Blue & Gray answered in the 85th minute as a corner kick from Zajec went into the box and sophomore defender Rio Hope-Gund (New York, N.Y. / Friends Seminary) got his head on it to tie the contest at two.  The excitement was shot lived, however, as a turnover and foul resulted in a free kick for the Musketeers from a dangerous position.  Matt Nance sent the ball in and Tomek Pauer got a head on it to find the top corner of the net to make it 3-2.
 
Georgetown would have one last chance that would go high as the Hoyas fell, 3-2.
 
The Hoyas edged the Musketeers in shots, 13-12, and both squads were awarded six corner kicks apiece.  Nelson had seven saves in the contest and was awarded the win, while Nikopolidis managed four and took the loss.
 
The Hoyas will head to Duke University on Tuesday for a midweek nonconference matchup with the Blue Devils.  Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m., in Durham, North Carolina.  Live stats and a webcast on ACC Extra will be available at www.GUHoyas.com.