Box Score The Basics
• Scores: Wagner-14, Johns Hopkins-11
• Records: JHU (11-21) • WC (8-23)
• Location: Kinney Natatorium • Lewisburg, PA
• The Short Story: The Johns Hopkins water polo rallied with a 5-1 fourth quarter but it wasn't enough to overcome Wagner as the Blue Jays fell, 14-11, in the fifth-place match of the 2019 Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) Championship.
 
How it Happened
• The Seahawks jumped out to a 4-1 lead but goals from sophomore Jake Pearson and junior Olin Shipstead pulled made it a one-goal game with 2:08 left in the first. Wagner scored an ejection goal just 22 seconds later to push its lead to 5-3 heading into the second.
• Wagner scored the first three goals of the second to extend its lead to 8-3. Shipstead ended the run with a man-up goal at 2:38, but it was answered with a last-minute Wagner goal and the Seahawks led 9-4 at the break.
• Hopkins opened the third with a five-meter goal by sophomore Jayden Kunwar to pull within four. Wagner then sandwiched a pair around another strike from Shipstead and it was 11-6 with 3:18 to play in the third. The Seahawks tacked on two more in the final 78 seconds of the quarter to push out to a 13-6 lead.
• Wagner extended its lead to 14-6 with 4:55 to play in the game. Junior Stephen Schmidt answered with an ejection goal at the 4:00-mark to spark a five-goal rally. The Blue Jays could get no closer than three however.  
 
What it Means
• Hopkins finishes in sixth place at the MAWPC Championships, matching its seed entering the tournament.
• The Blue Jays fall to 2-7 all-time against the Seahawks. The teams have met the last two years in the MAWPC Championship, with Wagner winning both meetings.
 
Inside the Box Score
• Shipstead led the Blue Jays with a career-high-tying four goals and five points, while also drawing four ejections. Kunwar added a pair of goals and junior Tim Peterson handed out a pair of assists.
• Pearson swiped an impressive seven steals and freshman Chris Freese drew six ejections. Junior Max Fleming made 10 saves, his eighth double-digit save performance of the season.
 
Up Next
• Hopkins will travel West for the inaugural USA Water Polo Division III Collegiate National Championship. The winner of today's SCIAC Final between Whittier and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps will host the championship December 7-8.