Hoyas Score Twice in First Half to Control Match at Mike Sheppard Stadium Visitors Maintain Unbeaten Conference Record with Clinical Performance in South Orange
SOUTH ORANGE, NJ – Georgetown continued their impressive conference form with a commanding 3-1 victory over Seton Hall on Tuesday evening at Mike Sheppard, Sr. Stadium at Owen T. Carroll Field, improving to 6-2-2 overall and a perfect 2-0 in conference play. The Hoyas dominated from the opening whistle, racing to a 2-0 halftime advantage before adding a third goal in the second half to seal a crucial road victory in front of 476 spectators as Seton Hall fell to 3-3-4 overall and 0-2 in league action.
Georgetown seized control of the match in the 27th minute when Maja Lardner broke the deadlock with a precise low right shot that gave the visitors the early advantage they would never relinquish. The goal came after sustained pressure from the Hoyas, who had already tested the Seton Hall defense with efforts from Lardner in the 2nd minute and Henley Tippins in the 8th minute, establishing their attacking intent from the outset.
The Hoyas doubled their advantage before halftime to take a commanding 2-0 lead into the break, effectively putting the match beyond Seton Hall's reach with their clinical finishing and organized team play. Georgetown's ability to convert their territorial dominance into goals proved decisive as they controlled the tempo and dictated play throughout the opening 45 minutes against an overmatched home side.
Seton Hall struggled to create clear scoring opportunities in the first half, with Abby Udowenko providing their lone bright spot with a low right shot in the 36th minute that represented the Pirates' best chance before the interval. The home side found themselves chasing the game and unable to establish any sustained attacking rhythm against a well-drilled Georgetown defense that limited their time and space in dangerous areas.
Natalie Means emerged as a constant threat for Georgetown in the second half, registering dangerous efforts with shots in the 31st and 46th minutes that kept the Seton Hall goalkeeper busy and demonstrated the Hoyas' continued attacking ambition despite their comfortable advantage. Means' movement and positioning caused problems for the Pirates throughout the contest as she repeatedly found pockets of space in the attacking third.
Seton Hall managed to pull one back in the second half to make it 2-1, briefly giving the home crowd renewed hope of a comeback as the Pirates showed improved urgency and commitment in their attacking play. The goal represented a brief moment of optimism for the hosts, who had struggled to threaten the Georgetown goal for much of the match but demonstrated character by refusing to surrender despite the deficit.
Georgetown quickly extinguished any hopes of a Seton Hall comeback by restoring their two-goal cushion to make it 3-1, effectively sealing the three points and maintaining their perfect conference record. The visitors' ability to respond immediately to adversity highlighted their maturity and quality as they refused to allow the home side any opportunity to build momentum from their goal.
Henley Tippins provided additional attacking support for Georgetown with multiple efforts including shots in the 35th and 20th minutes, while Shay Montgomery also contributed dangerous attempts in the 12th, 36th, and 6th minutes as the Hoyas maintained relentless pressure throughout the 90 minutes. The visitors' depth of attacking options proved too much for Seton Hall to contain as multiple players threatened the goal consistently.
Seton Hall's Ava Lozada worked tirelessly for the home side with shots in the 54th and 49th minutes as the Pirates searched desperately for goals to salvage something from the contest, while Mary Cochran also registered an effort in the 17th minute. Despite their determination, the hosts could not overcome Georgetown's early dominance and superior finishing as the visitors controlled the match from start to finish.
The victory keeps Georgetown firmly in contention at the top of the conference standings with their unblemished league record, while Seton Hall remains winless in conference play and facing questions about their ability to compete with the division's stronger sides. For the Hoyas, the clinical road performance demonstrated their credentials as genuine contenders as they executed their game plan to perfection against a team that struggled to match their intensity and quality throughout the encounter.