Feb. 21, 2013

2013 Bucknell Notes

Opening Draw
Johns Hopkins hosts Bucknell in the first-ever meeting between the Blue Jays and the Bison. The game wraps up the Jays' season-opening three-game home stand. Hopkins is looking to make it three in a row to open the season, while Bucknell is in search of its first win of 2013.

For the Record
Johns Hopkins is in its 38th season and sports an all-time record of 362-234-4 (.606) and a 144-97 (.597) record as a Division I program. JHU played the 600th game in program history on Wednesday, defeating Mount St. Mary's by an 18-5 score. The Blue Jays have posted 27 winning seasons, including 21 straight from 1987 to 2007. Hopkins has also made 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, including three in the Division I Tournament (2004, 2005, 2007).

I'm Honored
Junior attack Taylor D'Amore was named the American Lacrosse Conference (ALC) Offensive Player of the Week on Monday for her performance in JHU's win over Old Dominion. D'Amore scored three goals, handed out five assists and controlled eight draws in the Blue Jays' 20-10 win.

Looking Back
Junior Sarah Taylor scored a career-high five goals and classmate Taylor D'Amore notched seven points (1g, 6a) to lead Johns Hopkins to an 18-5 win over Mount St. Mary's Wednesday afternoon at Homewood Field. The Blue Jays put together three 3-0 runs in the first half to take a 9-2 lead into the half. After a Mountaineers free position goal at 26:12, the Blue Jays strung together five straight to push out to a 14-3 lead and never looked back. Sarah Jane Leder was outstanding in the cage for Mount St. Mary's, turning aside 22 shots, including 15 in the first half.

Home Sweet Home(wood)
Under head coach Janine Tucker, the Blue Jays are 89-43 (.674) within the friendly confines of Homewood Field. Hopkins will play eight regular season home games this season and will host the seventh annual American Lacrosse Conference Tournament.

On the Draw
Johns Hopkins set a school record in the season opener against Old Dominion as the Blue Jays controlled 26 draws in the win. The record broke the mark of 21 set on February 29, 2004 in a 21-5 win over Davidson. In addition, junior Taylor D'Amore tied her career-high with eight draw controls, which is one shy of the school record. She followed that with an eight-draw performance on Wednesday against Mount St. Mary's.

Against The Bison
Saturday's game marks the first-ever meeting between the Blue Jays and the Bison.

Scouting The Bison
After opening the season at home last Saturday, Bucknell then embarked on a six-game road swing that will take the Bison into the middle of March. In addition, Bucknell will face a ranked opponent in each of its first three games this season. The Bison have virtually their entire roster back from last season, including top scorers Arriana Sajjad (38-13-51), Katelyn Miller (35-12-47), Madison Hurwitz (25-16-41) and Emily Kookogey (31-6-37). The Bison will still be extremely young in 2013 - the team had no seniors last year and has only three this season.

Bucknell dropped an 18-2 decision at #10 Penn State on Wednesday afternoon and got goals from Hurwitz and Kookogey. The duo lead the Bison with two points apiece as six different players have scored in the first two games.

Poll Position Part I
Johns Hopkins is ranked in both polls this week as JHU is 19th in the IWLCA Coaches Poll (preseason) and 15th in the deBeer Media Poll.

Poll Position Part II
Eight of Hopkins' opponents this season are ranked in the IWLCA Coaches Preseason Poll, including top-three teams Northwestern and Florida.

Lights, Camera, Action!
Hopkins will play a pair of games on national television this year. Hopkins will face Georgetown (March 13) and Penn State (April 21) on ESPNU.

Season Openers
The Blue Jays improved to 24-13-1 (.645) all-time in season openers after a 20-10 win over the Old Dominion Monarchs on February 16. The 20 goals by the Blue Jays are the most in a season-opener since a 21-5 win over Davidson on February 29, 2004. Hopkins is 15-5 (.750) all-time in home season-openers and 7-3 (.700) since moving to Division I in 1999.

Welcome to Campus
Hopkins welcomed 12 newcomers this season, including 11 freshmen and sophomore transfer Jen Cook. The Blue Jay newcomers hail from Maryland, New York, Florida and Colorado. The new arrivals account for 40 percent of the 30-person roster.

Streaking
Three Blue Jays enter Saturday's game with point, goal and assist streaks of atleast three games. Here's a look their streaks.

Sammy Cermack (Jr. • M):
• Has at least one point in 20 straight games
• Has at least one goal in 14 straight games

Taylor D'Amore (Jr. • A):
• Has at least one point in 23 straight games
• Has at least one assist in six straight games

Sarah Taylor (Jr. • M):
• Has at least one point in four straight games
• Has at least one goal in four straight games

Climbing the Ranks
Several Blue Jays are making their move up the Johns Hopkins Division I record book. Here's a look at where they rank:

Taylor D'Amore (Jr. • A):
• Needs 6 points to rank eighth (has 135)
• Needs 10 goals to rank 14th (has 65)
• Needs 21 assists to rank 2nd (has 70)
• Needs 24 draws to rank 3rd (has 129)

KC Emerson (So. • GK)
• Needs 60 saves to rank 7th (has 60)

Cosette Larash (Sr. • GK)
• Needs 29 saves to rank 2nd (has 308)

Stars & Stripes
Junior Taylor D'Amore and 2008 graduate Lauren Schwarzmann were named to the 36-player roster for the 2012-14 United States women's national senior team in July. This is D'Amore's first turn with the national team, while Schwarzmann has been with the U.S. national team program since 2007. She spent three years with the Developmental Team before elevating to the Senior Team in 2010. Since 2005, six different Blue Jays have played in the U.S. national team program, including 2012 graduates Alyssa Kildare and Colleen McCaffrey.

At the Helm
The winningest coach in program history, Janine Tucker is in her 20th season as the head coach at Johns Hopkins. She sports a record of 212-113 (.652), including a 144-97 (.597) mark at the Division I level. Tucker took over the Blue Jay women's lacrosse program in August 1993 and coached five seasons in Division III before successfully guiding the program's transition to Division I in 1999. A 1989 graduate of Loyola (MD) and a member of the Greyhounds Athletic Hall of Fame, Tucker led the Blue Jays to double-digit win totals in each of her first 14 seasons, including four NCAA Division III Tournament appearances, three ECAC Division I championship games, and the program's first three NCAA Division I Tournament appearances in 2004, 2005 and 2007. Tucker became the 14th coach in NCAA Division I history to reach 200 wins when JHU beat host UMBC, 12-7, on April 13, 2011.

Oh Captain, My Captain
Hopkins will be captained by senior Cosette Larash and juniors Sammy Cermack and Taylor D'Amore.

On Tap
Hopkins returns to action on Wednesday, February 27 as JHU hits the road for the first time this season. It will be a short trip as the Blue Jays travel the two and a half miles to the Ridley Athletic Complex to take on sixth-ranked Loyola. Opening draw is slated for 7:00 pm.