In meeting No. 13 Loyola on Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Ridley Athletic Complex in Baltimore, No. 18 Towson will play its third game of the season without midfielders Andrew Hodgson and Ben McCarty.
Hodgson, a senior, and McCarty, a sophomore, have been sidelined by undisclosed injuries, and coach Shawn Nadelen said it was too much to expect the duo to return for a midweek contest after the Tigers lost, 15-8, to No. 12 Johns Hopkins on Saturday.
"I think with the quick turnaround, it's tough on those guys getting ready with three games within seven days," Nadelen said Monday. "We knew it'd be a battle not having guys healthy, and it's just tough on them to get back onto the field in a week like this."
Towson welcomes Georgetown to Johnny Unitas Stadium on Saturday at 12 p.m., and Nadelen said that game could be a more optimistic time for Hodgson and McCarty to return.
"It is a potential," he said. "I think knowing that they're not going to be ready for Loyola, but getting back up to 100 percent for Thursday and Friday practices, the potential is there and even moreso with another week for those guys and their injuries."
Freshman Ryan Drenner has replaced Hodgson on the first midfield, registering four assists in two contests. McCarty's spot has been occupied by a rotation of freshmen Tyler Young and Tyler Konen, who have combined for zero shots. Nadelen acknowledged that the voids created by the absences of Hodgson and McCarty have been tough to fill.
"When you lose two guys that have been key contributors in the past, you're definitely not at full strength," Nadelen said. "We're playing quite a bit of youth. Within different possessions, we've got a lot of freshmen out there, and it's the first time for them. Playing a game against Hopkins could have had a lot to do with it and it being on TV. I just think not having Andrew and Ben that have had minutes within their years here, it takes away the experience and composure factor. But we had opportunities to really take control of the game, and we just didn't do a good job of that."