Marquette holds off No. 14 Georgetown, 9-8

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Marquette University men's lacrosse team used an 8-0 run spanning the second and third quarters to capture a 9-8 victory over No. 14 Georgetown on Saturday afternoon at Cooper Field.

Redshirt senior Tanner Thomson led the Golden Eagles (5-3, 1-0 BIG EAST) with his third-straight hat trick, while junior Ryan Fazio also posted three points on a goal and two assists. Graduate student Andrew Romagnoli and junior Luke Anderson scored a pair of goals and sophomore goalie John Hulsman posted a season-best 12 saves.

Marquette had to hold off a late charge from the Hoyas (7-2, 0-1 BIG EAST), who scored the final six goals of the game after MU built a 9-2 lead on Romagnoli's final score with 11:30 remaining in the third quarter.

The Hoyas began the day with two of the first three goals, including the game's first from the Jake Carraway. Thomson scored at the 6:14 mark of the first to tie it up and the Hoyas entered the second quarter with a 2-1 lead on a Lucas Wittenberg late first quarter tally. Marquette had seven turnovers in the opening frame but was also able to force the Hoyas into three failed clears.

The Golden Eagles proceeded to score all six goals in the second to take a 7-2 lead into the half.

Thomson and Romagnoli scored to begin the third quarter before the Hoyas started their run with consecutive goals from Daniel Bucaro, who along with Wittenberg led Georgetown with three goals and an assist apiece.

The victory is Marquette's first over a ranked opponent since it defeated then-No. 16/18 Georgetown by the same score on March 24 of last season in Milwaukee. That OT win along with today's triumph moves MU to 5-3 all-time against the Hoyas, including a 5-1 mark in one-goal games.

Thomson has now scored hat tricks in each of the last three games, all Marquette victories, and has posted 12 goals and two assists over that time. On Saturday he past former teammate Andy DeMichiei for sixth all-time in MU history with 79 career points and currently sits one goal behind Tyler Melnyk (59 goals) for fifth place in career scores.

The Golden Eagles resume BIG EAST play on Saturday, March 30 at Villanova in a noon Central time start at Villanova Stadium.

Keep up with the Marquette men's lacrosse program through social media by following on Twitter (@MarquetteMLax) and Instagram (@MarquetteMLax) and 'liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteMLax). For tickets, visit online or call the Marquette Ticket Office at 414-288-GOMU (4668).