Blue Demons Stun No. 18 Georgetown at Wish Field

Sunday, October 13

Chicago, Ill.

1:00 P.M. CT

DePaul University

3-5-5, 1-1-3

Georgetown

8-2-4, 4-1-1

Georgetown

DePaul

Blue Demons Stun No. 18 Georgetown at Wish Field

10/13/2024 5:30:00 PM | WOMEN'S SOCCER

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Women’s Soccer secures first ranked victory since 2019, move to .500 in conference play

CHICAGO – On a cool, windy Sunday afternoon at Wish Field in Chicago, Ill., DePaul women's soccer triumphed over No. 18 Georgetown, securing its first ranked victory since 2019 and snapping a streak of three consecutive losses to the Hoyas. The Blue Demons were led by graduate students Beth Smyth and Elena Milam, with Smyth netting the lone goal of the match and Milam contributing seven impressive saves, helping DePaul reach .500 in BIG EAST Conference play.

"Anyone can win on any given day—you've just got to continue to believe," said head coach Michele O'Brien. "This team has built great momentum over the last couple of weeks, and you could sense a big victory coming—it was only a matter of when. The team is fully on board with what we're doing, they're locked in, and they truly play for each other and the program. I'm really proud of the group for committing to the game plan and executing it. I'm especially happy for Beth [Smyth]; she's one of the hardest workers on this team, and as a fifth-year graduate student, her presence is felt, and I can't express how much it means to see her score in such a big moment."

DePaul (3-5-5, 1-1-3 BIG EAST) handed Georgetown its first BIG EAST loss of the season, requiring just one shot on goal. Coach O'Brien notched her first ranked victory at the helm of the Blue Demons, with Smyth tallying her first goal of the season off a perfectly timed pass from Shayna da Silva in the 57th minute. DePaul's last ranked victory also came against No. 14 Georgetown, in October 2019, in a 1-0 overtime finish.

Georgetown (8-2-4, 4-1-1 BIG EAST) suffered its first defeat in over a month, with its last loss coming against No. 20 Pepperdine in a 2-1 decision on Thursday, Sept. 5. The Hoyas dominated 73% of possession against the Blue Demons and held the advantage in both corner kicks and shot attempts; however, they were unable to find the back of the net to overcome DePaul's defensive resilience.

How It Happened

True to form, the Hoyas started strong, maintaining possession and exerting significant pressure on the Blue Demons each time they gained control of the ball.

Maja Lardner fired two shots at Milam in the first 11 minutes, both of which were saved with ease.

Three more shots followed, with Natalie Means and Henley Tippins contributing to Georgetown's attack, though both attempts sailed over the goal.

DePaul's first shot of the match came in the 37th minute on a corner kick, with senior Schuyler Riese heading a ball well over the crossbar, stalling any offensive momentum for the Blue Demons.

However, DePaul managed to slow Georgetown's pace slightly, allowing just one shot attempt in the final twelve minutes of the half.

The second half opened with a more balanced exchange of possession, but DePaul's fortunes shifted in an instant.

In the 57th minute, Sophomore Kaya Hanson attempted to clear the ball from Georgetown's goal box, but da Silva intercepted her upfield pass. Seizing the opportunity, da Silva delivered a perfectly placed ball to Smyth on the left side of the box. Smyth executed a crossover move, split the defense, and fired her first goal of the season into the back right corner of the net, giving the Blue Demons a 1-0 lead.

Knowing they needed to respond, Georgetown increased the intensity. Beginning in the 63rd minute, they embarked on an eight-minute stretch where they took five corner kicks, registering nine in total for the second half.

Despite the pressure, DePaul's defense held firm, allowing just two shots during the sequence, with Milam making two more saves to cap her stellar performance in goal.

Georgetown's final shot attempt came from Manning in the 83rd minute, but the Hoyas were unable to mount another significant threat in the last 13 minutes of play. Conversely, DePaul's last shot came from Smyth's decisive goal, which proved to be all they needed to claim the victory at Wish Field on Sunday afternoon.

Match Notes

The Blue Demons earned their first ranked victory in five seasons, with the last also coming against Georgetown in 2019.
Graduate student Beth Smyth netted her first goal of the season.
Sophomore Shayna da Silva registered her first career assist.
Head coach Michele O'Brien earned her first ranked victory as leader of the Blue Demons.
Despite the loss, Georgetown outshot DePaul 13 to 2 and collected 11 to 2 corner kicks.
DePaul improves to .500 in BIG EAST play with a 1-1-3 record.
The Blue Demons extended their unbeaten streak, losing just once in their last eight outings.
Maja Lardner led the Hoyas with four shots.
Elena Milam tied her season high with seven saves in goal.
Georgetown conceded just its seventh goal of the season to DePaul.

UP NEXT
DePaul concludes its three-match homestand at Wish Field on Thursday, Oct. 17, against Seton Hall at 3 p.m. CT. Fans can follow live coverage on the BIG EAST Digital Network and FloSports.

FOLLOW THE BLUE DEMONS
For all the latest information on DePaul Women's Soccer, visit DePaulBlueDemons.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Blue Demons on Facebook, Instagram, X.

TICKET INFORMATION
Join DePaul Women's Soccer at Wish Field this fall! Blue Demon Soccer Supporter Memberships are on sale now, which include access to all regular season men's and women's home matches at Wish Field! Single-game tickets can be purchased at DePaulBlueDemons.com/Tickets.