March 24, 2010

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA, PA - Johns Hopkins rallied in the second half, but fell just short at seventh-ranked Penn in an 11-7 loss in non-conference action Wednesday night at Franklin Field. The loss snaps the Blue Jays' modest two-game win streak, while the Quakers win their fifth straight to improve to 7-1.

Trailing 9-2 with more than 18 minutes to play in the second half, Hopkins finally got its offense going, scoring three unanswered in a little over six minutes to cut the deficit to four. Senior Paige Ibello (Cockeysville, MD/Maryvale) sandwiched a pair around a Colleen McCaffrey (Mount Sinai, NY/Mount Sinai) goal in the run. Ibello got things started when she broke away from her defender down low and sophomore Candace Rossi (Farmingdale, NY/Farmingdale) found her wide open on the crease. Ibello took the pass and fired the ball past Emily Szelest. McCaffrey then scored when she dodged from behind the cage, rolled along the crease and scored on a high shot. Rossi and Ibello connected again with 11:14 to play to cap the run. From the top of the 12-meter fan, Rossi dumped the ball down low to Ibello, who fired a side-arm shot past Szelest for her second of the day.

Penn responded with a pair of goals, sandwiched around a strike from junior Brianna Cronin (Arlington, MA/Arlington) to push its lead to five at 11-6 with just under five minutes to play. Giulia Giordana answered Ibello's second goal after the Quakers drew the Blue Jay defense up high and Emma Spiro found Giordana alone down low for the score. Cronin came right back for Hopkins, scoring on a hard shot off an alley dodge just 87 seconds later. Penn won the ensuing draw and Ali DeLuca scored on a low shot to push the lead back to five. Senior Angela Hughes (Manchester, MD/North Carroll) closed out the scoring, on a free position shot with 49 seconds left on the clock.

Spiro put Penn on the board just 64 seconds into the game with a free position goal. Hughes answered six minutes later, scoring off a split dodge for the first of her three on the day. Bridget Waclawik came right back, scoring just 33 seconds later to ignite a 6-0 Quaker run. Maddie Poplawski and Erin Brennan fueled the run with a pair of goals each. Hughes stemmed the tide with her second of the day, dodging the right side and scoring on a hard shot with six minutes to play. Giordana got that one back for the Quakers however and they took an 8-2 lead into the half.

Hughes led the Blue Jays with her second career hat trick and first this season, while Ibello had a pair of goals and Rossi had a pair of assists. Ibello also had a career-high four ground balls for the Blue Jays. Freshman Cosette Larash (Crownsville, MD/Archbishop Spalding) made the start in goal and played 26 mintues with three saves. Senior Lizzie O'Ferrall (Baltimore, MD/Mount de Sales) came on in relief and finished with two saves. Waclawick, Giordano, Poplawski, DeLuca and Brennan all had two-goal games for the Quakers. Szelest finished with 11 saves to earn the win.

Hopkins returns to action on Saturday, March 27 as Oregon visits Homewood Field for the Blue Jays'annual "Power in Pink" game. The Blue Jays will sport pink jerseys, courtesy of Under Armour, in support of the fight against breast cancer. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game and donations will be collected. Opening draw is slated for 1:00 pm.