No. 3 Georgetown beats Stanford, advancing to NCAA Men’s Soccer College Cup title match

CARY, N.C. – The third-seeded Georgetown University men’s soccer continued its historic run on Friday defeating the seventh-seeded Stanford Cardinal 2-0 on a rainy night at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina.

With the victory, the Blue & Gray advances to the national championship game for just the second time in program history.  The win also tied the program’s record for victories in a season as GU improved to 19-1-3 for the year.

Sounds of the Game
• “We’re thrilled, we’re thrilled to keep going for one more round of soccer we’re ready to go.” – Head Coach Brian Wiese
• “I was telling the guys in the locker room that was probably the cleanest I’ve ever hit a ball.  It felt good coming off of my foot and the opportunity doesn’t come a lot so you have to make the most of it and I did.” –Sean Zawadzki on his goal
• “It’s unbelievable.  In a game like that, it doesn’t have to be the prettiest goal in the world so I’ll take it.  I think guys will take it and anything to get us on to Sunday is worthwhile.” – Foster McCune on his goal
• “Today was a funny day.  It’s either a day where there are going to be tons and tons of goals or just not many and it took a moment of brilliance from Sean Zawadzki to really set the game in our favor.” – Wiese

How it Happened
• The Hoyas scored early as a ball was sent in by sophomore Zach Riviere but headed away by a Stanford defender.  It went to sophomore Sean Zawadzki at the top of the box who volleyed in a bullet from 22-yards out to send the crowd into a frenzy in the fourth minute and put Georgetown on top 1-0.
• It looked like GU would find the back of the net again late in the first half, but after a superb build up, senior Riley Strassner was called a step offside to keep it a 1-0 game going into the half.
• Stanford had a good look at the goal in the 55th minute as a shot was sent to the near post, but sophomore goalkeeper Giannis Nikopolidis punched it away.
• The Blue & Gray looked to have a chance in the 63rd minute when junior Jacob Montes lined up for a free kick from the same place he had scored two in previous games.  The shot went high as GU clung to the one-goal advantage and the minutes ticked away.
• Georgetown added an insurance goal in the 67th minute when Zawadzki sent a long ball into the box.  It bounced around hitting defenders and fell to senior Foster McCune at the far post who headed it in past keeper Andrew Thomas to make it 2-0 and secure the historic victory.

Of Note
• Georgetown outshot Stanford 9-2 with four shots on goals to the Cardinal’s one.  Stanford took four corner kicks in the game and the Hoyas did not take any.
• Sophomore Giannis Nikopolidis picked up the win and his fifth shutout of the season with one save to his credit.  Thomas took the loss posting two saves in the game.
• The Hoyas are one shutout shy of tying the program record set during the 2014 campaign.
• Georgetown’s 19 wins tie the program record set in 2012.
• This is GU’s second trip to the national championship game with the previous appearance in 2012.  That season, the Hoyas advanced after an epic 4-4 tie with Maryland.  The Blue & Gray fell in the national championship to Indiana, 1-0.

Georgetown will face top-seeded Virginia Sunday evening at 6 p.m. in Cary, N.C. at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.  The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU with Glenn Davis and Devon Kerr calling the action.  Tickets can be purchased through GUHoyas.com.