MU Concludes Season With 4-2 Loss at Georgetown

Nov. 1, 2008

Box Score vs. Georgetown (PDF)

MILWAUKEE -- Marquette did not look like a team that had already been eliminated from the postseason tournament, as the Golden Eagles provided more of a scare than Georgetown may have expected on its senior day. But it was the BIG EAST tournament-bound Hoyas that prevailed 4-2 in the final match of the regular season for both teams from North Kehoe Field.

"For a spectator, it was a great college game -- the ebbs and flows and the ups and downs," said MU head coach Louis Bennett. "From a coach's point of view, there were too many ups and downs. I think we could have capitalized a little bit more on the opportunities we were creating and certainly limit the counter attacks."

Georgetown got on the scoreboard in the fourth minute when Seth C'deBaca side-stepped a defender to clear some space at the top of the box and placed a left-footed strike into the lower left corner of the net, which ricocheted off Marquette goalkeeper Matt Pyzdrowski who dove to get a hand on the ball.

"I don't think we started well, again," said Bennet. "But after that goal went in, we had some spirited performances, and I think as a group we did pretty well coming back, scoring and really got after the game by using our minutes productively."

Marquette was quickly able to get back to even, however, as sophomore midfielder Hector Navarro netted the equalizer off a side volley from 15 yards out. Anthony Colaizzi, who was credited with the assist, served Navarro from the left corner in the 11:55 mark.

It was Navarro's second goal of the season and his first since scoring in the Golden Eagles' season-opening 4-1 win over Bryant University.

For the first time all season, Marquette thought it had rallied from an early deficit to take the lead, but junior forward Nick Kay had his goal nullified in the 16th minute. Freshman midfielder Calum Mallace had his shot from the top of the box blocked by a Hoyas defender. Kay collected the bouncing ball, settled, and placed the ball into the back of the net seconds after the offside flag went up from the near sideline.

Moments later the Hoyas capitalized on the first corner kick of the game -- and took advantage of their considerable height advantage over the Golden Eagles. Mark Zemen sent it into the six-yard box where it was headed in by a leaping 6-foot-2 Alex Verdi, who put Georgetown up by a 2-1 margin in the 25th minute.

Georgetown built upon their lead in the 35th minute, as the Hoyas took a dangerous free kick that deflected off of a couple attackers and bounced from the near-side of the box to the far corner where it was crossed back in front of the net. Marquette's Billy Von Rueden tried to clear the ball out of bounds past the end line, but inadvertently misdirected the ball for an own goal inside the far post.

Marquette had great support with the help from a number of alumni and their families who attended the match and had organized a tailgate prior to kick off. But the Blue and Gold faithful did not have much to cheer about in the second half until Billy Von Rueden sent a corner kick near post in the 73rd minute that was headed into the back corner by Navarro to get the Golden Eagles back to within one at 3-2.

Freshman midfielder Amilcar Herrera and Colaizzi both had strikes go wide of the goal in the closing minutes. Likewise, Georgetown continued to apply pressure offensively. In the 83rd minute, a Hoyas attacker headed a corner kick over Pyzdrowski, but fortunately for the Golden Eagles keeper sophomore defender Matt Stummer was standing at the right spot on the goal line to head the ball back out of the box and deny a sure Georgetown goal.

The Hoyas were able to add some insurance in the 88th minute, however, on a goal by Sean Bellomy who received a touch pass from teammate Peter Grasso. Bellomy snuck past an MU defender and sent the ball into the back corner of the net.

With the loss, Marquette ends its season with an overall mark of 3-10-4 and 1-8-2 in conference play, while the Hoyas (10-4-3, 5-3-3 BIG EAST) secured the No. 3 seed in the 2008 BIG EAST Championship with the win.

"Overall, I thought that we actually fought back and played well in spells," said Bennett. "That is a good testament to what we can do."