Dynamite Start Launches DePaul Past No. 7/2 Georgetown

Sunday, October 23

Washington, D.C.

12:00 PM

DePaul University

Georgetown

Dynamite Start Launches DePaul Past No. 7/2 Georgetown

10/23/2016 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S SOCCER

Box Score

WASHINGTON, D.C. - It was a fantastic 45 minutes that launched DePaul onto the biggest victory of the season.

It doesn't get any better than four shots and four goals.

Behind a pair of scores by Alexa Ben and one each from Franny Cerny and Abby Reed, the Blue Demons converted that explosive start into a 4-1 triumph over No. 7/2 Georgetown on Sunday.

With the win, DePaul (10-5-2, 7-1-0) is guaranteed a top-two conference finish and clinched a first-round bye in the BIG EAST Championship.

The partisan crowd at Shaw Field was just settling into their seats when Ben struck 38 seconds after the opening whistle on a one-timer inside the box off a cross from the far end line from Jessie Schmidt.

In the 12^th minute, Cerny connected on a blast from the center of the box after Ana Greik's pass from the far side.

Georgetown (13-2-2, 5-1-2 in BIG EAST) cut into the DePaul lead in the 31^st minute on a goal by Meghan Nally inside the box.

But the irrepressible Ben put momentum back in blue after scoring her second goal in the 38^th minute on a rebound of a Cerny shot.

For a fitting end to the first half, Reed scored in the 45^th minute on a beautiful, long shot from the far right side into the upper far post.

All of this against a Georgetown defense that had allowed just one goal in its previous nine games.

The Blue Demon defense stood tall against a Hoyas' attack that has scored 44 goals this season. Kelli Hubly locked in on Georgetown's leading scorer Grace Damaska ((11 goals) while Taylor Schissler, Avery Hay, Lucy Edwards and Elizabeth Endy disrupted the rest of this high-powered offense.

First-place DePaul returns to action at 7 p.m. Friday for its regular-season finale at Marquette that will be broadcast by the BIG EAST Digital Network.

Notes

DePaul's win snapped Georgetown's 14-game unbeaten streak.

Georgetown outshot the Blue Demons 10-7 and both teams had five shots on goal. The Hoyas had a 10-3 advantage in corner kicks.

Both of Ben's shots were on goal and Reed had two shots with one on frame. Cerny and Schmidt each had a shot on goal.

Reed's 10 goals in 2016 are two shy of the season record she shares with Julianne Sitch (2003) and Elise Wyatt (2015). Reed notched her dozen in 2014.