May 4, 2019
Featured Image Photo Credit: Di Miller
[MEDIA RELEASE]
DENVER – Georgetown University won its second-consecutive men’s lacrosse title at the 2019 BIG EAST Championship Presented by Jeep with a 12-9 victory over Denver. The Hoyas earn an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament and will make their 13th appearance in program history.
With 13 wins on the season, Georgetown tied the most victories in program history. The Hoyas also tallied 13 wins in 1999 en route to a run to the NCAA semifinals.
Lucas Wittenberg (Kennesaw, Ga. / Harrison / Mercer) was named the BIG EAST Championship Most Outstanding Player while Jake Carraway (Annapolis, Md. / St. Mary’s), Gibson Smith (Pelham, N.Y. / Pelham Memorial) and Chris Brandau (Timonium, Md. / Boys’ Latin) were all named to the All-Tournament Team.
Daniel Bucaro (East Setauket, N.Y. / Ward Melville) led the Hoyas (13-4) with four goals and an assist to become the program’s all-time leader in career goals with 145. Carraway added two goals and two assists, tying Bucaro for the single season mark in goals with 53.
Wittenberg also had two goals and two assists while Austin McDonald (Olney, Md. / Georgetown Prep) found the back of the net twice. Declan McDermott (Pleasantville, N.Y. / Pleasantville) had a goal and an assist, Robert Clark (Cooksville, Md. / McDonogh) tallied a goal and Massimo Bucci (Ithaca, N.Y. / IMG Academy) was credited with an assist.
Defensively, Brandau collected 15 saves between the pipes in his first career start in goal. Smith added three caused turnovers and a team-high seven ground balls. James Reilly (Berwyn, Pa. / Conestoga) and Alex Mazzone (Stony Brook, N.Y. / Ward Melville) both had four ground balls as well.
Reilly went 12 for 25 (.480) at the ‘X’ and became just the second Hoya in program history to win over 200 faceoffs in a season with 203.
Wittenberg got Georgetown on the board first at the 12:47 mark courtesy off a Carraway assist. Denver (10-5) responded less than a minute later to tie things up, but the Hoyas went on a 5-0 run to take a 6-1 lead just nine minutes into the game. Five different Hoyas scored GU’s first five goals before McDonald netted his second of the game for the sixth. The Pioneers posted the final goal of the frame to make it 6-2 after 15 minutes of action.
The second quarter proved a low-scoring affair as both teams only found the back of the net once apiece. Wittenberg tallied his second of the game with 6:27 to play in the half to give the Blue & Gray a 7-3 lead going into halftime.
In the third, Denver began to mount a comeback behind three-straight goals to start the half. With Georgetown holding on to a slim one-goal lead at 7-6, Carraway closed out the period with a goal off a Wittenberg pass to make it 8-6.
Back-to-back goals from Bucaro to begin the fourth quarter, including the eventual game winner at the 10:26 mark, gave the Hoyas a four-goal cushion. The Pioneers would pull within three goals twice, but never any closer the rest of the game. Bucaro’s goal at the 2:36 mark proved to be the record-setting tally and put the game away for the Blue & Gray.
Georgetown advances to the NCAA Tournament for the 13th time in program history. The Hoyas will find out their first round opponent on Sunday’s NCAA selection show, broadcast on ESPNU at 9 p.m.