The Basics
•
Score: #2 Johns Hopkins-2 • #1 TCNJ-1
•
Records: #2 Johns Hopkins (11-0-2, 7-0 CC) • #1 TCNJ (13-0-1)
•
Location: Baltimore, MD • Homewood Field
•
The Short Story: In a highly-touted matchup between the top-two teams in the United Soccer Coaches polls, the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays and TCNJ Lions battled to a 2-2 draw on Wednesday afternoon.
How it Happened
1st Half
• With plenty at stake in this late season non-conference matchup, both teams came out psyched up for Wednesday afternoon's kickoff. In the 12th minute, Amelia Curtis played a long ball, looking for Julia Obst. Blue Jay keeper
Caitlin Hendricks came flying out of the net, but she overplayed her hand as Obst scooted past her and tapped it into the empty net for a 1-0 TCNJ lead.
Riley O'Toole put the first shot on Lions keepe Alexandra Panasuk in the 15th, but Panasuk kept it 1-0. After both teams traded shots off target over the next 10 minutes, Curtis got her chance to take a shot at Hendricks, but the senior keeper was ready and scooped it comfortably. In the 28th and 29th minutes, Blue Jay junior forward
Callie Jones got a pair of good looks, having a chance cleared off the line by the defense, and then hitting the crossbar. Panasuk made saves in the 37th and 39th minutes, turning away
Sophia Stone and
Emma Bocanegra to keep Hopkins off the board. Hendricks matched her less than 30 seconds after Bocanegra's attempt, making a save bottom left on a Victoria D'Imperio shot. The two keepers each made saves in the 44th minute, sending the game to half with TCNJ leading 1-0.
2nd Half
• The Lions got the better of the looks in the first 15 minutes of the second half, forcing saves from Hendricks in the 53rd (x2), 56th and 61st minutes. However, the Blue Jays kept plowing ahead and knotted things up in the 65th. After a foul call on Curtis, Stone set up for the free kick around 25-30 yards out. She played a sensational ball in, finding the head of teammate
Bonnie Shea, who headed it home for her first career Blue Jay goal and a 1-1 tie. Over the next nine minutes, the only notable excitement was a yellow card issued to Curtis, but in the 74th, TCNJ punched back to retake the lead. Gianna Coppola did it herself, creating space down the far sideline, turning up towards the baseline and rifling one over the head and hands of Hendricks for a 2-1 lead. In the 75th, Jessica O'Brien tried to go high to beat Hendricks and potentially put it out of reach, but the senior made her fifth save of the half. In the 80th minute,
Katie Sullivan decided to try and create some magic. The freshman carved out a bit of space, put a big boot to the ball and sent it towards the back post. Panasuk retreated, but the ball caught a chunk of the post, richocheted out, and found Bocanegra who knocked it into the net to tie things at 2-2.
Overtime
• Overtime was as tense and hectic as 20 minutes can be without deciding a victor. Both teams had outstanding chances. Both keepers made outstanding plays. In the 91st, it was nearly over for Hopkins as Obst got a clean look, but it caught the inside of the crossbar and bounded back out. Racing back the other way, Sullivan's shot was saved by Panasuk and the TCNJ keeper made another save less than 45 seconds later on a shot from O'Toole. Hendricks made a massive save in the 100th minute to force a second OT. In the 106th, O'Toole had another great opportunity, using her speed to open up space. The graduate fired, but once again, Panasuk stifled the shot. In the final moments, Hendricks registered a final save of the night and the Jays made a final push, but the horn sounded and #1 vs. #2 resulted in a 2-2 draw.
What it Means
• Hopkins remains unbeaten in 2021. The Blue Jays have won 11 contests and earned draws twice, both against the #1 team at the time.
• A longtime non-conference rivalry, JHU is now 7-12-3 all-time against the storied TCNJ program.
• Hopkins has extended its home unbeaten streak, last losing on Homewood Field in the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
• JHU now has four wins and five draws all-time when playing against top-five ranked opposition.
Inside the Box Score
• The offenses were outstanding in this one against two of the top-five defensive teams in the country. The Blue Jays matched the total amount of goals TCNJ had allowed in 13 games while TCNJ scored half of the total that JHU had allowed through 12 contests.
• Shea picked up her first career Blue Jay goal. The graduate defender has been a stalwart defensively, but despite a few good looks, had some unlucky breaks on headers. She ended that string of bad luck to tie it in this one.
• Bocanegra continues to impress off the bench for
Dan Weiler's team. The junior midfielder now has five goals on the season, second on the team.
• 11 saves is a career high for Hendricks, tying her for the third most in a single-game in program history.
Up Next
• Hopkins will return to Centennial Conference play on Saturday at Homewood Field. The Blue Jays will host the Muhlenberg Mules at 4 pm.
