Sept. 3, 2012
JHU-Cerritos 
JHU-Lindenwood
JHU-Gannon
JHU-MSAC
ANNAPOLIS, MD - The Johns Hopkins water polo team opened its season with four wins at the annual Navy Labor Day Open this weekend. JHU opened the season with an 18-9 win over Cerritos College and then defeated Lindenwood, 20-3, in the nightcap on Saturday. The next day Hopkins bested Gannon (21-5) and Mt. San Antonio (24-12) to remain unbeaten at 4-0. Senior Alex Whittam led the way for the Blue Jays with 11 goals and 11 assists, while sophomore Wes Hopkins had team-best 13 goals to go along with three helpers for 16 points. Senior Ross Schofield also scored eight goals and dished out 11 assists on the weekend.
It was a close first half as Hopkins led just 7-6 at the break. But a seven-goal explosion in the third quarter gave the Blue Jays a comfortable lead as they went on to win 18-9. Eleven different players scored for Hopkins, led by Whittam's five-goal outing. Whittam also notched a pair of assists, as well as two steals, two ejections drawn and two blocks. Schofield dished out five assists to go along with a goal and two ejections drawn. Sophomore Danny Ovelar made nine saves while allowing just four goals in two quarters of work. Freshman Erik Hendrikson played two quarters as well and finished with seven saves and five goals allowed.
The offense exploded in the second outing, rolling to a 20-3 win over Lindenwood. Hopkins led the way for the Blue Jays with four goals and five points, while senior Mike McCreery and sophomore Henry Pfleger each scored a pair. Freshman Tommy Renner handed out a game-high four assists while sophomore Johnny Beal had three helpers. Ovelar made three saves with one goal allowed in two quarters of action. Sophomore Scott Weigel made four saves in one quarter.
Hopkins jumped all over Gannon early on Sunday, leading 8-1 after the first quarter. The offense continued to click with seven goals in the second and five in the third as Hopkins took home a 21-5 victory. Hopkins, freshman Langdon Froomer, Schofield and freshman Blake Range all tallied hat tricks. Schofield finished with four goals, two assists and two steals. Hopkins (3g, 2a), Range (3g, 2a) and Whittam (2g, 3a) all finished with five points. Ovelar stopped five shots and allowed just two goals in two quarters. Weigel and Hendrikson played one quarter and made one save each.
The Blue Jays wrapped up the weekend with the match versus Mt. San Antonio. Beal, Hopkins and Range scored four goals apiece to lead the offense. Whittam chipped in four helpers, while Beal and Froomer had three assists apiece. Ovelar again made three saves to go with two steals, while Hendrikson had six stops and one assist.
Hopkins returns to the pool this weekend with the Princeton Invitational. JHU will face Brown and UCLA on Saturday before taking on Harvard and MIT Sunday.
