Photo by Georgetown Sports Information
By RYAN TOLMICH
One minute.
That was all that stood between Georgetown and a berth in the NCAA semifinals, but up a goal with time ticking, things just didn’t work out.
A goal from Virginia’s Todd Wharton sent the game to overtime, a period that saw Georgetown earn plenty of chances to snag a late win. Alas, it wasn’t to be, as the Hoyas fell on penalties in the quarterfinals, one step further than they had reached the year before.
For head coach Brian Wiese, the sting of last year’s loss has certainly not gone away. Yet, the pride that came with the performance remains, too, helping educate and motivate the Hoyas heading into a 2015 season that could prove to be the one.
“These were really hard lessons for the guys. They were doing everything right, and it just didn’t work out,” Wiese told SBI. “Last year was really tough, and we did a lot of things in that five-minute stretch in that UVA game. We had done things right for 85 minutes, and then we were sitting there saying that we weren’t doing what we should be doing right now and that ended up costing us the game.
“They know they’re good enough. They’ve been in pressure situations playing against teams. The experience of those types of games will hopefully carry them through the next time they’re in in it. Coming this year, if we’re fortunate enough to be in it, you expect the boys to be able to manage it.”
Now among the country’s best teams, the Hoyas return a slew of players that have learned from that big-game experience.
The defensive unit features more of the same, led by one of the country’s most highly-touted players in Josh Yaro. With Yaro and Cole Seiler returning to anchor the backline, Georgetown may improve a defense that was ranked sixth in goals allowed last season.
For Yaro, those improvement haven’t quite been there yet, as the group continues to go through growing pains. A true perfectionist, Yaro says that the team can, and will, improve upon the one goals given up in preseason with the aims of separating themselves from the pack.
“We’re working together as a group to be better than we were last year,” Yaro said. “We’ve worked together for a few years now, so we know each other’s strengths and we’ll work around that and with that.
“We know that we have guys on the other end that will score, so how do we keep scoring and prevent the other team from scoring? It comes down to the core group of guys that we have at the back. All of the guys are trying to be one of the best backlines in the country.”
In the attack, Hoyas return a star in Brandon Allen, a senior forward that has earned recognition as the Big East’s Preseason Offensive Player of the Year while also being named to the Hermann Trophy watch list.
A consistent presence on the Georgetown frontline throughout his three years, Allen tallied 11 goals and three assists in 2014, bringing his career totals to 38 and 10, respectively.
With the multi-talented Allen leading the way, the Hoya’s goalscoring group features junior Alex Muyl, who has provided 15 assists in his two seasons, as well fellow junior Brett Campbell.
Allen was quick to cite his growing chemistry with Muyl, as the duo has improved its reading of the game and defensive pressure. Despite having to make up for the loss of the departed Austin Martz on the wing, Allen is as confident as ever in a forward group he believes will produce more of the same.
“We don’t really have to change much. We’ve been doing pretty well,” Allen said. “We didn’t really lose any strikers. We’re still playing with the same set of people up top. We lost a person out wide, but it’s the same dynamic, the same thing that we’re trying to do.
“We’ve been playing fine together so far. Compared to last season, it was up and down to start the season, but during the preseason, I think we’ve been doing pretty well and I hope it leads into the season. I think we’ll be fine to start the season at least.”
While forwards like Muyl and Allen will likely lead the way up top, the presence of Arun Basuljevic leads the way in a potent midfield. Now a sophomore, Basuljevic enters after scoring six times in his freshman campaign.
Now, Wiese says, Basuljevic is prepared to become a leader to the team’s younger players as he continues to fully adjust to his role in the Hoyas’ system.
With a highly-touted offense and a star-studded backline, both Yaro and Allen say that, at times, their toughest opponents are themselves. Wiese says that competition for spots is fiercer than ever and, as a result, training has essentially turned into a proving ground that has seen each player sharpen his skills.
“It’s great because everyone our team, and our coaches say this, when you see us practicing, you would think we were fighting because of all the competition,” Yaro said. “Everyone tries to be the best they can every day, and you have so many good players playing, it makes it hard.
“I always say that I find it much easier playing against other strikers than I do against our own strikers, because they are tough and they are really good players. It makes it good. On the other side, you have very good defenders that give them the same problem. It’s fun pushing ourselves in training because of how willing everyone is to work hard.”
The sharpening has helped ease the transition for what many consider the team’s one true weakness: goalkeeper. Following the departure of Tomas Gomez, the Hoyas will now turn to freshman JT Marcinkowski, while Mitchell Auer also remains an option in net.
Wiese says that there is little concern in throwing Marcinkowski straight into the fire, citing both the youngster’s maturity and the veteran-laden team in front of him as factors that have eased the learning curve.
“The games will tell, but if there’s anyone I’ve ever coached that doesn’t play like a freshman, he’d be that one,” Wiese said of his young goalkeeper. ” He’s a very mature kid and plays well above his years. It helps to have Cole Seiler and Josh Yaro in front of him as his centerbacks. That makes a big difference for a young goalkeeper, and he’s got a lot of support around him.”
Wiess says that Marcinkowski is the only freshman that is likely to crack the starting lineup, meaning each of the other 10 guy will know full well what is ahead of them.Putting last season further behind them, the Hoyas already knocked off Virginia in a preseason scrimage, helping to bury some of the demons that remain.
Yet, with a regular season, conference tournament and NCAA tournament ahead, the Hoyas have some major goals that seem to be right within grasp.
“It definitely haunts all of us,” Allen said of last year, “but I think this year, we’ll capitalize when that moment comes again and get to the Final Four and do that all over again.
“If we stay consistent with every game, I think we’ll be okay. Going throughout the whole season and into the tournament, if we do that, I think we’ll be alright.”