Oct. 11, 2011
JHU-Cal Lutheran Box Score 
JHU-PP Box Score
JHU-Redlands Box Score
JHU-CMS Box Score
CLAREMONT, CA - The Johns Hopkins water polo team took down the number one ranked Division III team at the 19th annual Claremont Convergence. Hopkins beat Pomona-Pitzer, 10-7, but dropped decisions to #4 Cal Lutheran (9-8, OT), #5 Redlands (13-12) and #3 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (15-11). The Blue Jays are now 10-7 on the season.
Hopkins opened the weekend against Cal Lutheran and dropped a tough 9-8 double overtime decision to the Kingsmen. The Blue Jays led 7-4 after a goal from freshman Johnny Beal capped a 3-1 rally with 1:32 to play in the third quarter. Jordan Meaney answered just 27 seconds later for the first of three straight goals by CLU that would tie the match at the end of regulation. Brandon Gross capped the run with 40 seconds to play in the first overtime to give the Kingsmen their first lead of the match at 8-7. But junior Kielan Crow responded with 15 ticks on the clock to send the match to a second overtime. Meaney would score the only goal of the second overtime, on a man-up situation, to give Cal Lutheran its first win over Hopkins. Crow paced the Blue Jays with his sixth hat trick of the season, while junior Alex Whittam had one goal and two assists and classmate Ross Schofield chipped in a pair of goals. Freshman goalie Danny Ovelar made nine saves with nine steals in the loss.
JHU got back in the win column in the nightcap, knocking off top-ranked Pomona-Pitzer behind a hat trick from Schofield. It is the Blue Jays first win over the Sagehens since 2008. The Blue Jays jumped out a quick 3-0 lead in the opening minutes of the match, before Jason Cox helped get the Sagehens right back in it by scoring his team's first three goals. The last of his hat trick made the score 4-3 early in the second quarter, but Hopkins answered back with a 3-0 run to take a 7-3 lead. Clayton Hardman scored to cut the deficit to three at the half. Hopkins came out firing again in the third quarter, taking a 10-4 lead into the final stanza. The Sagehens rallied with three unanswered to make it a 10-7 game with 1:43 to play, but could get no closer. Whittam and Crow each chipped in two goals, while freshman Wes Hopkins and junior Eli Levitt each had a pair of helpers. Ovelar and classmate Scott Weigel shared time in goal and each made seven saves.
Hopkins ran into a tough Redlands squad the next morning and nearly pulled off a great fourth-quarter comeback. Schofield and sophomore Stephen Kingery scored back-to-back goals in just 26 seconds to pull the game even at 6-6 heading into the half. But Jeff Parsons put the Bulldogs back on top midway through the third quarter and ignited a 5-2 run that saw Redlands take an 11-8 lead at the end of three. Hopkins cut the deficit back to one with goals from Whittam and Crow but Blake vanHartesvelt goal made it a 12-10 game with 4:30 to play. Hopkins scored a man-up goal with 26 seconds remaining to once again make it a one-goal game, but Parsons sealed the game with five seconds left with his second of the afternoon. Crow, Whittam and Schofield each tallied hat tricks while Kingery had a goal and three assists. Ovelar and Weigel once again split time in the goal, making a combined nine saves.
Hopkins closed out the weekend against host Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. The Stags opened with a 3-1 run before Whittam and Crow sandwiched goals around a strike from Huston Middlesworth as CMS took a 4-3 lead after one. Hopkins got goals from Crow and Kingery in a span of just 52 seconds to take the lead at 5-4, but CMS responded with a five-goal run that bridged halftime and gave the Stags a 10-5 lead midway through the third quarter. The Blue Jays put together a run of their own, scoring four unanswered to make it a one-goal game with 28 seconds to play in the third. But Maarten Lefor would score just 17 seconds later and give CMS an 11-9 lead. Hopkins could get no closer as the hosts outscored JHU 4-2 in the final quarter. Whittam led the Blue Jays with his second straight hat trick and sixth of the season. Hopkins, Schofield and Kingery each scored a pair while Levitt had three helpers.
Hopkins returns to action and league play on Wednesday, October 12 as Navy visits Baltimore. The CWPA Southern Division match is slated to begin at 4:00 pm.
