The Basics
• Score: #2 Johns Hopkins-2, Swarthmore-1
• Records: JHU (18-0) • SC (13-6)
• Location: Baltimore, MD • Homewood Field
• The Short Story: Junior Tessa Erickson scored with 4:06 to play in regulation to lift the second-ranked Johns Hopkins field hockey team to a 2-1 win over Swarthmore in the Centennial Conference semifinals Friday afternoon.
 
How it Happened
• Swarthmore grabbed the early lead as the visiting Garnet capitalized on a penalty corner. Chelsea Semper inserted the corner to Samantha Meacock at the top of the circle. Meacock hit a hard ball off the insert and Semper tipped it in at the left post with 4:45 to go in the first.
• Hopkins tied the game late in the second quarter after the Blue Jays earned a penalty stroke. Freshman Emily Amsden took the stroke for JHU and converted to tie the game at one with 3:21 left in the half.
• After nearly 30 minutes of scoreless action, the Blue Jays took their first lead of the game at the 5:54-mark. Senior Maddie Brown-Scherer intercepted a pass in the Hopkins' end and slipped the ball to classmate Abby Birk. Birk dribbled 40 yards before slotting a pass through several defenders to Erickson. She took a touch around the Garnet goalie and then scored on a shot from the endline.
 
What it Means
• Hopkins improves to 23-7 all-time against Swarthmore and has won nine straight in the series. Today's game was the first meeting between the Blue Jays and the Garnet in the conference tournament since 2000.
• The Blue Jays run their win streak to 18 games and will play in the Centennial Conference title game for the fourth straight year and 12^th time since the tournament's inception in 2000.
 
Inside the Box Score
• Erickson's goal is her third career game-winner.
• This was just the third time Hopkins had trailed in a game and first since September 8. The Blue Jays have trailed for a total of just 17:33 this season. The Garnet goal snapped the Blue Jays' shutout streak at 434:27.
• Sophomore Alexis Loder earned the win for Hopkins with one save. Aron Lankford made 12 saves for the Garnet and got a defensive save from Emily Hapgood.
 
Up Next
• Hopkins will take on the winner of Ursinus and Dickinson in Saturday's championship game. The game is scheduled for a 7:00 pm start at Homewood Field.