Oct. 27, 2007

Box Score

CHESTERTOWN, MD -- Sophomore Chand Balfour scored an early goal and later added an assist to lead the 20th-ranked Johns Hopkins men's soccer team to a 2-1 victory at Washington College Saturday night. The win improves Hopkins' record to 15-3 overall and 7-2 in the Centennial Conference, while the Shoremen end the season at 6-11 overall and 1-8 in the Centennial.

Hopkins, which had already earned the number two seed in the upcoming Centennial Conference Tournament, struck first when Balfour collected a rebound off a deflected shot and beat Washington goalie Marc Petrucci in the sixth minute. The goal was Balfour's eighth of the season.

The 1-0 lead held for 17 minutes until Washington's Frank Borelli found the back of the net at the back end of some nifty passing. Tony Arminger played a ball from the left corner to the top of the box, where Brian Schultz headed a ball to a streaking Borelli, who picked the lower left-hand corner of the goal to make it 1-1.

Freshman David Drake was in the right place at the right time eight minutes into the second half as Petrucci saved a shot by Balfour, but was unable to control the rebound and Drake poked home his 13th goal of the season to give the Blue Jays a 2-1 lead that held firm for the final 38 minutes.

Hopkins held a 28-7 advantage in shots, but Petrucci made nine saves and was twice saved by his defense, which knocked two balls off the line to keep it close.

Johns Hopkins will play Muhlenberg next weekend in the Centennial Conference semifinals. The Blue Jays beat the Mules, 2-1, in Allentown earlier this season. Top-seeded Franklin & Marshall will host the tournament and will play the winner of the first-round game between Dickinson and Gettysburg. The Blue Jays are looking for their seventh Centennial Conference Championship (1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006). Game times will be announced on Monday.