Sept. 2, 2006

Box Score

BALTIMORE, MD - The Johns Hopkins men's soccer team overcame a costly early mistake to top the Buffalo State Bengals 3-1 in its season opener Saturday night. The Blue Jays (1-0-0) will face the Scranton Royals on Sunday, Sept. 3 at 4:30 on Homewood Field for the championship of the Citrano Medical Labs Kick-off Classic. The Blue Jays are now 14-0 in season openers under Head Coach Matt Smith.

Buffalo State got on the board early, capitalizing on a Hopkins' offsides call. The Blue Jays had an apparent goal called back in the 15th minute when they were whistled for offsides. The team failed to hear the whistle over the noise of the crowd. Buffalo State quickly restarted the ball and Casey Cushing raced downfield, chipping the ball into the open Hopkins' net for the early score.

It took nearly 27 minutes, but the Blue Jays answered in the 43rd minute when junior Nate Ford (Bethesda, MD/Landon) scored off a free kick. Ford and sophomore co-captain Matty Carlson (Bristol, CT/Loomis Chaffee) stood over the ball about 25 yards out. Ford took the kick and deflected it off the wall, tucking it just inside the right post. Hopkins went up 2-1 on freshman Nick Kosik's (Emmaus, PA/Emmaus) first career goal in the 55th minute. This time it was the Blue Jays capitalizing on their opponent's mistake. Bengals' goalie Shawn McDonnell muffed a goal kick and sophomore Nicholas Gauna (Evanston, IL/Evantson) trapped it down and fed a streaking Kosik. McDonnell came out to challenge and Kosik chipped the ball over him and into the net.

Hopkins put the game away with a goal from Guana in the 77th minute with some help from freshman Nikko Politis (Charlottesville, VA/Western Albemarle). Politis centered the ball from the corner and Guana buried it far post for his first of the season. Senior goalie Danny Coble (Fremont, CA/Bellarmine College Prep) finished with five saves and McDonnell finished with six. Hopkins had the advantage in corner kicks (8-1) and shots (24-9).

Buffalo State (0-1-0) will play Goucher at 2:30 on Homewood Field. Goucher lost in the early game on Saturday 1-0 to Scranton in double overtime.