Huskies Fall 2-1 at Georgetown in NCAA Quarterfinals

Saturday, December 7

Washington, DC

9:00 AM

University of Washington

17-4-0

Georgetown

18-1-3

Washington

Georgetown

Photo by: Chuck Myers

December 07, 2019 | Men's Soccer

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WASHINGTON D.C. --- The Washington men's soccer team's banner season came to a tough end on Saturday afternoon as No. 3 Georgetown netted a pair of goals over a four-minute span late in the second half to win 2-1 in the NCAA Quarterfinals at Shaw Field in Washington D.C.

The Huskies wrap up the season with a 17-4-0 overall record, winning the second-most matches in team history and reaching the Quarterfinals for just the second time. The Hoyas improve to 18-1-3 on the season and closed out the year with a 12-0-2 record at home.

Jaret Townsend got the Huskies on the board early, scoring the match's first goal in the fourth minute. Townsend was able to get the ball on the right side of the Georgetown box, dribbled across the top of the box and fired a blast to the upper right corner. It was his seventh of the season and fifth in his last 10 matches for the senior who had scored just twice heading into the year.

Washington continued to press over the next 15 minutes looking to go up two and had a couple of good chances. Just four minutes later, Lucas Meek forced a turnover with some high pressure at the top of the box and cracked a shot which beat the keeper but missed just high. In the 21st minute, Meek again made a great play, this time saving a long ball from going out over the end line then finding a streaking Blake Bodily, who took a quick shot but right into the waiting hands of the keeper

A brilliant goal by Washington puts the Huskies up 1-0 less than five minutes in!#NCAASoccer | @UW_MSoccer pic.twitter.com/VFzifzn1By
— NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) December 7, 2019

But the Hoyas started to find chances of their own and nearly tied the game late in the half. With just over a minute to go, Georgetown won a free kick just outside the left side of the box. The kick was sent toward the far post where an attacking player was able to crack a shot. That attempt was blocked by a Washington defender but right back to the top of the box where another Hoya cracked a shot which was saved by Husky netminder Sam Fowler.

The Huskies again started strong in the second half, creating a number of early chances. In the 62nd minute Gio Miglietti found Meek behind the defense, but a first touch took him wide and allowed the Georgetown defense to catch up. He would carry the ball from the left side toward the middle and got a shot off only to see it miss wide right.

One of the best chances in the second half came in the 68th minute as Miglietti made a fantastic back heel pass to Bodily who had a wide open crack from 15 yards, catching the keeper leaning the wrong way, but sailed it high.

Late in the second half, Georgetown as able level the score. In the 72nd minute, a Georgetown player drew a foul about 25 yards out at the top of the box and Jacob Montes sent a screamer to the top right corner to even things up.

Just over four minutes later—after an extensive Video Review delay—Georgetown as able to find the match-winner, sending a long ball ahead to Derek Dodson, who beat two defenders and slotted the ball to the lower left corner.

The Huskies had a few chances in the final 10 minutes including a great look off a corner kick with just over a minute to play. Bodily was able to corral the ball just outside of the box and sent a hard shot in where it appeared to hit a Georgetown defender's arm before being cleared. Despite the protests of the Husky players, no penalty was called and VAR was not brought into action for a third time in the match.

"It was going to take a set piece or a big moment for them to get back in the game and they were pushing for it," said Clark. "I actually thought we had the better chances up to that point in the second half, but we weren't clinical in our finishing today. We had open transition moments that came back to haunt us. If we go up 2-0, you've got room for error, but up 1-0 we didn't have room for error."

I feel like this year we came together as a family," said Bodily, who finished the season with 12 goals—the most by a Husky player in 12 years. "We accomplished one of our main goals of winning a Pac-12 Championship and should be really proud."

"This is a group that loved being with each other, a group we loved coaching, and we won't get that chance to do it again," said Clark. "I'm proud of what we've accomplished."