Box Score The Basics
• Score: #20 George Washington-21, Johns Hopkins-18
• Records: JHU (3-4, 0-1) • GWU (11-4, 3-1 MAWPC)
• Location: Baltimore, MD • Newton White Athletic Center
• The Short Story: Visiting 20^th-ranked George Washington pulled away late to defeat the Johns Hopkins water polo team, 21-18, Friday night in the Blue Jays' Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference opener.
 
How it Happened
• George Washington jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the opening three minutes but Hopkins answered with three straight in a 102-second span. Sophomore John Murphy sparked the run with his goal at 4:51, followed by man-up goals by junior Finn Banks and senior Giorgio Cico. The teams then traded goals over the final three minutes of the period and it was 5-5 at the end of one.
• The second quarter started like the first as the Colonials went on a 3-1 run to push out to an 8-6 lead with 4:05 to go. Banks scored at the two-minute mark to slice the deficit in half, but the teams would again trade scores for the remainder of the quarter and GW led 10-8 at the half.
• This time it was Hopkins that opened the quarter with a 3-1 run, getting a pair of goals from freshman Emerson Sullivan and one from Banks to tie the match at 11-all with 5:11 to play in the quarter. Andras Levai answered with back-to-back goals in a 44-second spurt to put the Colonials back up two. Junior Nico Ivanov got one back with an ejection goal at 3:48, but GW would score twice more in the final three minutes to take a 15-12 lead after three quarters.
• The teams traded goals throughout the first six minutes of the fourth as George Washington led 20-16. Hopkins would pull within two with 22 ticks remaining on goals from Banks and senior Josh Kurtz. The Colonials were able to stick one more as the Blue Jays tried to get the ball back.
 
What it Means
• Hopkins falls to 53-29 all-time against George Washington as the Colonials have won four straight in the series.
 
Inside the Box Score
• Banks led all scorers with his career-best nine goals, just one shy of the school record. Sullivan added a career-best four goals.
• Cico handed out a career-high and school-record eight assists while Ivanov had the goal and three helpers. Pearson totaled three points (1g, 2a), a career-best.
• Senior Spencer Witte finished with 13 saves and three steals.
 
Up Next
• Hopkins has a short turn around as the Blue Jays host the Navy Midshipmen at 10:00 am on Saturday, September 29.