Sept. 15, 2007

Box Score

SWARTHMORE, PA - Freshman David Drake (Medford, NJ/Shawnee) scored two goals as #10 Johns Hopkins shut out Swarthmore 4-0 on Saturday night in the Centennial Conference opener for both teams. The Blue Jays remained unbeaten on the season at 7-0-0 overall and 1-0-0 in the conference, while the Garnet fall to 4-1-2 overall and 0-1-0 in the conference with the loss. It was the first win at Swarthmore for Hopkins since a 5-0 win in 2001.

In the 22nd minute senior Mo Hamzeh (Clarksville, MD/River Hill) sent a ball into the box that was deflected by a Garnet defender. Drake collected the loose ball and buried it in the back of the net for his fifth of the season. The Blue Jays took a 2-0 lead into the locker room after freshman Scott Elliott (West Lake, OH/Saint Edward) scored his first career collegiate goal in the 45th minute.

The Blue Jays were kept off the board again until late in the half when Drake gave the Blue Jays a three-goal cushion in the 83rd minute. Freshman Scott Bukoski (Sagamore, MA/Bourne) crossed the ball into the box from the left side and Drake shot it past Swarthmore goalie Ryan Sutcliffe. Junior Akash Naik (Simpsonville, SC/Hillcrest) closed out the scoring in the 86th minute. Sophomore Evan Giles (Ponte Verde Beach, FL/Episcopal) sent a crisp pass across the mouth of the goal that Naik buried in the back of the net for his second of the season.

The Garnet had numerous chances but the Blue Jays defense and sophomore goalie Matt Mierley (Weston, FL/St. Thomas Aquinas) were up to the task. Mierley finished with three saves in posting his second shutout. Sutcliffe finished with two saves for the Garnet.

Hopkins returns to action on Tuesday, September 18 against Philadelphia Biblical. The match at historic Homewood Field is set for 7:00 pm.