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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Georgetown
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Men's Soccer Unlucky at Georgetown, Falls 3-0
September 18, 2011 | Men's Soccer
WASHINGTON, D.C. (9/18/11) - The Princeton men's soccer team dropped a 3-0 game at Georgetown on Sunday, Sept. 13. The final score however, doesn't reflect the action of the game as the Tigers had a lopsided time of possession, had the better looks and created the better chances. Georgetown was awarded two penalty kicks and converted both.
Princeton had a 14-11 shot advantage getting six shots on frame, while Georgetown had just two, not including the two PK's. The Tigers also had a 5-3 edge in corner kicks.
Princeton dominated the first half, controlling the pace and forcing Georgetown into turnovers in its own end. However a penalty kick would put Georgetown up 1-0 in the 25th minute. The Hoyas had a corner kick reach the box and Neuman tried a bicycle kick that inadvertently hit a Tiger in the hand for the unfortunate automatic penalty kick. Christianson lined up to take the shot and the Princeton coaches called out to junior keeper Max Gallin that he would go to his right. Gallin dove to his right but the ball snuck under his body and into the goal.
Freshman Joe Saitta had Princeton's first shot just 1:04 into the game but Georgetown's keeper Tomas Gomez, would make the stop, one of his six in the game. Georgetown's Keegan Carter responded a minute later when he found himself wide open on the left side and tried to chip Gallin, but Gallin caught the ball and gave Princeton possession.
Freshman Alex Wetterman had a header collected by Gomez after back-to-back Princeton corner kicks in the 11th minute.
Seven minutes later junior Matt Sanner intercepted the ball in the Georgetown end and Gomez out of position. Princeton had two shots blocked inside the box and the final shot by freshman Julian Griggs skirted wide. Griggs had another chance in the 27th minute but Gomez stopped it at the near post. Senior Manny Sardinha had a long range blast sail just wide of the net in the 40th minute shortly after checking into the game.
Arguably Princeton's best chance came with just seconds left on the clock. Princeton was awarded a free kick with 30 seconds left and senior Antoine Hoppenot would hit the ball into the box. Sophomore Patrick O'Neil was able to get it on the left side and with less than two seconds left rifled it towards the goal where Gomez made a leaping save as time expired.
Sanner would test Gomez again in the second half with a header in the 58th minute, and both Hoppenot and Griggs would send balls into the box but didn't have a teammate there to put them away. The wind in the Tigers' sails would be taken out in the 69th minute when Georgetown made it a 2-0 game.
A four-on-three counterattack by the Hoyas would result in the 2-0 lead. Tyler Rudy released a left footed shot that went in on the far post with Steve Neumann and Christianson picking up assists.
The teams would battle back-and-forth with neither team giving up a shot in the next six minutes.
The flavor of the game changed in the 76th minute. Georgetown's Gabe Padilla was streaking down the right flank and escaped his defender who tried to slide tackle the ball, setting up a one-on-one with Gallin. Gallin came out and grabbed the ball before Padilla could strike it. However, the official awarded Georgetown a penalty kick on the play at the surprise of the players and fans. The Georgetown home announcers even called it "one of the worst called penalties I've ever seen." The ensuing chatter led to an ejection of Sanner, who will now have to sit out the Monmouth game a week from today. Christianson would convert the PK to give his squad a 3-0 lead.
Princeton would have one shot on goal, while Georgetown would have two shots wide in the final 14 minutes of the game.
Princeton falls to 1-3-1 on the season, while Georgetown improves to 4-1-2.