VILLANOVA, Pa. – A midweek clash with BIG EAST East Division leader Georgetown is up next for the Villanova Wildcats. The two sides will battle Wednesday afternoon at Shaw Field in Washington, D.C. with kickoff set for 2 p.m.
 
The match will be live streamed via the BIG EAST Digital Network on Flo Sports.
 
Villanova's Branden Johns was recognized by the Philly Soccer Six on its Honor Roll this week after notching three goals in two games last week. Johns registered the only Villanova score in a 3-1 loss last Saturday at Higgins Soccer Complex to St. John's.
 
"BJ has done a nice job finishing, using his speed to help apply pressure in the attacking third," stated Villanova head coach Tom Carlin of the senior from Waldorf, Md.
 
Shaw Field has not been kind to the Wildcats through the years. Villanova's last win on the Hoyas' home pitch came on Sept. 30, 2007, a 1-0 victory. Georgetown has won the last eight encounters between the teams on its turf, including a 1-0 win in a 2021 BIG EAST Tournament semifinal.
 
Of course, the Wildcats have considerable company in that department. Georgetown is 4-0-1 at home thus far in 2023 and 21-1-4 there since the start of 2021. It brings an overall mark of 8-1-2 and 4-1 in the BIG EAST into Wednesday's battle..
 
Villanova (1-6-4 overall, 1-3-1 BIG EAST) held the Hoyas scoreless until the 89th minute in that last visit in the 2021 postseason and will be looking to apply that kind of defensive work again on Wednesday. A series of injuries has had an impact on the 'Cats' back wall. On Saturday freshman Mikhail Zaretser and junior O'Neil Dawes helped fill the void created by the loss of starting center back Jack Bonas and outside back Tommy Johnson.
 
"We've had to switch a few things up with the injuries, and that's not an easy adjustment to make this late in the season," Carlin said. "But the guys have continued to battle, and we've made some strides. We've got five games left. There's still time. Now the focus is Georgetown."
 
Injuries to a pair of senior forwards, Akinjide Awujo and Luke Pompliano, have also been felt. The pair has yet to log a regular season minute. Johns and Vincent Petrera have helped to shoulder that load, though both have been forced to handle heavy minutes. Petrera was on the field for all 180 minutes in the two games last week and Johns was on for 173 of those minutes.
 
The schedule doesn't ease up after this battle either. Villanova will play three times in the next six days, with a home match Saturday vs. Xavier (1 p.m.) and its Higgins Soccer Complex finale set for next Tuesday, Oct. 24, vs. Army (3 p.m.).