Oct. 3, 2009
Box Score
CLAREMONT, CA - The Johns Hopkins water polo team had a tough road trip last weekend, traveling to Claremont, CA for the annual Claremont Convergence. The top-ranked Blue Jays were set to take on second-ranked Redlands, fourth-ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, fifth-ranked Whittier and sixth-ranked Cal Lutheran. Hopkins picked up just one win in those four matches and drops to 7-10 overall on the season.
Hopkins opened against host Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Friday. The Stags got on the board first, with a goal by Jason Lee. Hopkins quickly answered with a goal from sophomore Mark Strickland (Houston, TX/Strake Jesuit) to tie the match at 1-1. Brian Chong gave CMS back the lead with 2:32 to play in the opening quarter, before a goal from senior Jamie Neuwirth (Ross, CA/Phillips Andover (MA)) tied the match with just 39 ticks on the clock. CMS retook the lead with just under six minutes remaining in the second quarter and the Stags would never trail again. That goal ignited a 6-2 Stags' run that saw the home team push out to an 8-4 lead with 4:12 remaining in the match. Freshman Ross Schofield's (Greenwich, CT/Greenwich) goal with 1:25 on the clock would account for the 8-5 final.
Freshman Alex Whittam (Hillsborough, CA/Sacred Heart Prep) led the Blue Jays with a pair of goals, while also drawing three ejections. Junior Jeremy Selbst (Old Greenwich, CT/Greenwich) had five saves between the pipes as JHU suffered its first loss to CMS since October 11, 2003.
Hopkins got back in the win column later in the day Friday with a 10-8 win over Cal Lutheran. That match was tied at 2-2 at the end of the first but a 3-2 second gave Hopkins a slim 5-4 lead at the half. The Kingsmen came out firing in the third, outscoring the Blue Jays 3-1 to take a 7-6 lead. Hopkins responded with a 4-1 fourth to take the match 10-8. The Blue Jays were led by senior Antonio Aguilera (Coral Gables, FL/Gulliver Prep), who notched his second career hat trick. Whittam and senior Kyle Gertridge (Gunn Prep, CA /Paolo Alto) also had a pair of goals each.
On Saturday, Hopkins dropped a tough 8-6 decision to Whittier. The Blue Jays led 3-1 after the first on goals Neuwirth, Whittam and senior Peter Sauerhoff (St. Louis, MO/John Burroughs). But the Poets came out in the second and held the Blue Jays scoreless, while adding three of their own, to take a 4-3 lead at the half. Gertridge scored a pair of goals in the third, to just one for Whittier, tying the match at 5-5 heading into the final quarter. Hopkins took a 6-5 lead on a goal from senior M.G. Gonzalez (Calabassas, CA/Oaks Christian), but that would be all the scoring for the Blue Jays as the Poets scored three goals in the final four minutes to take the win.
Hopkins wrapped up the weekend against rival Redlands. The Bulldogs once again got the better of the Blue Jays, winning 10-8 for the fourth straight win the series. Hopkins got on the board early with a pair of goals from Whittam and freshman Kielan Crow (Portola Valley, CA/Lick-Wilmerding) to lead 2-0 after the first. But the Bulldogs came out firing over the next two quarters, outscoring the Blue Jays 8-3 to take an 8-5 lead heading into the fourth. Redlands got on the board first in the fourth, to push its lead to 9-5. But Hopkins rallied with goals from Crow and Sauerhoff to make it a 9-7 game. Redlands pushed its lead back to three just 21 seconds after Sauerhoff's goal, before a Gonzalez goal made it 10-8. Crow led the Blue Jays with his first career hat trick, while Sauerhoff had a pair of goals in the loss. Selbst finished with eight saves for Hopkins.
Hopkins returns to action on Friday night as George Washington visits Homewood for an 8:00 pm CWPA match.
