Sept. 30, 2006

Box Score

BALTIMORE, MD - The #13 Johns Hopkins men's soccer team (11-1-0, 4-0-0) defeated Dickinson (5-5-0, 1-3-0) by a 1-0 score Saturday night in Centennial Conference action. The Blue Jays have won seven straight, including three straight 1-0 wins. Hopkins is unbeaten in its last 15 (14-0-1) home games. This was the 50th consecutive home conference win for the Blue Jays.

Both teams had their chances in the first half but went into the locker room at a 0-0 draw. In the 16th minute, Dickinson's Andy Rowek collected a pass, dribbled in towards the right post and ripped a shot that just went wide of the far post. Seven minutes later, sophomore Nicholas Gauna (Evanston, IL/Evantson) played the ball over the Red Devils defense to junior co-captain Ben McAbee (Hagerstown, MD/North Hagerstown) and freshman Nick Kosik (Emmaus, PA/Emmaus). The two broke out on a two-on-none but McAbee just touched the ball too far and Dickinson goalie Rodrigo Barboza came out and smothered it.

The Red Devils then had two quick chances in the 24th and 26th minutes. After McAbee's near miss, Carlyle Balfour broke free of the Hopkins defense but senior goalie Danny Coble (Fremont, CA/Bellarmine College Prep) came out and cleared the ball from danger. Just two minutes later, Gregg Freeburn aimed a shot for the far post but Coble dove to his left and snagged the ball out of the air. In the 41st minute, Hopkins freshman Max Venker (Oldsmar, FL/Palm Harbor University High) sent a corner kick in that was cleared by the defense, but sophomore Robbie Carper (Ellicott City, MD/Mt. Hebron) stepped up and rifled a low shot through traffic. Barboza dove in the wrong direction but just got his foot on the ball deflecting it back out. McAbee quickly fired a shot of the rebound but it just missed the far post.

Hopkins finally got on the board in the 47th minute. Kosik crossed the ball to an on-rushing McAbee, but in an attempt to clear the ball, Jamaal Warner cleared the ball into the back of his own net. The one goal would be all the Blue Jays' defense and Coble would need as they held off the Red Devils. Though Hopkins had a chance to make it a two-goal game in the 75th minute when Barboza fouled freshman Chand Balfour (Montclair, NJ/Montclair) in the box. Freshman Tommy McQueen (West Hartford, CT/Choate Rosemary Hall) stepped up for the penalty kick, but Barboza made the save at the left post.

Coble finished with four saves for his sixth consecutive shutout and eighth on the season. Barboza finished with eight saves in the loss. The Blue Jays held the edge in shots (17-9), while the Red Devils took eight corners to the Jays six. Fouls were dead even at 12.

The Blue Jays return to action on Saturday, October 7 when they visit Haverford. Game time is set for 1:00 p.m.