The Basics
• Scores:
Johns Hopkins-13, #15 Fordham-12
Wagner-17, Johns Hopkins-10
• Records: JHU (5-16, 1-7 MAWPC) • FU (21-5, 9-1 MAWPC) • WC (14-15, 4-6 MAWPC)
• Location: Baltimore, MD • Newton White Aquatic Center
• The Short Story: The Johns Hopkins water polo team stunned 15^th-ranked Fordham, 13-12, Saturday afternoon just one week after losing to the Rams by a 19-4 score. In the nightcap, Hopkins fell to visiting Wagner, 17-10.
 
How it Happened • Fordham
• George Papinakolauo and Christos Loupakis sandwiched goals around a score from senior Jayden Kunwar and Fordham led 2-1 early. Sophomore Cameron Burns scored at 5:29 to spark a run that saw four different Blue Jays score as they took a 5-2 lead with 1:13 to play in the first. Loupakis ended the run with a goal at the 50-second mark, but sophomore Seth Berke answered with just one tick on the clock to give Hopkins a 6-3 lead after one.
• Graduate student Olin Shipstead pushed the lead to four just a minute into the quarter, but the Rams answered with four straight over a three and a half minute span to tie the game at seven. Berke again had the answer as he scored with 12 seconds left in the half to put the Blue Jays up 8-7 at the break.
• Kunwar scored on a five-meter at 5:21 in the third to stake Hopkins to a 9-7 lead. But three straight from Fordham knotted the score at 10 with 40 seconds to play. Kunwar cashed in on another five-meter, this one with 26 seconds on the clock, and the Blue Jays took an 11-10 lead into the final quarter.
• Loupakis tied the game again with a man-up goal midway through the quarter. But Hopkins answered with goals from freshman Ian Raley and Kunwar to go up 13-11 with 2:35 to play. Hans Zdolsek pulled the Rams within one just 23 seconds later. Fordham would have a chance to even the score as the Rams went man-up with 31 seconds on the clock, but they were whistled for an offensive foul with just a few ticks on the clock to seal the win for the Blue Jays.
 
How it Happened • Wagner
• Wagner jumped out to a 3-1 lead but Hopkins answered with a 3-1 run of its own to knot the score at four with 51 seconds to go in the quarter. Mattia Bognolo scored 30 seconds later to give the Seahawks a 5-4 lead after one.
• Kunwar scored a five-meter 30 seconds into the second to tie the game. Zsombor Gyemant and Karl Lovett bookended a score by Shipstead and Wagner took a 7-6 lead into the half.
• Senior Jake Pearson opened the third quarter scoring to tie the game at seven, but the Seahawks responded with six straight to storm out to a 13-7 lead with 5:49 to play in the game. Sophomore Paul Gensbigler ended the run with a goal at 5:37 and then Kunwar added another five-meter goal just 34 seconds later and the lead was down to four. Once again Wagner responded, scoring four unanswered to push its lead to 17-9 with 49 seconds to go. Gensbigler scored on a man-up with two seconds left to close out the scoring.
 
What it Means
• Hopkins improves to 21-12 all-time against Fordham and snaps a five-game losing streak to the Rams. Each of the Blue Jays' las three wins in the series have come by just one goal. The loss ended Fordham's seven-game win streak and was its first conference loss since November 16, 2019.
 
Inside the Box Score
• Kunwar led the Blue Jays with seven goals and three assists to go with six ejections drawn in the two games. Pearson added three points (2g, 1a) and six steals, while Shipstead totaled two goals, four assists and three steals.
• Junior Kamram Eslami added two goals, three assists and six steals. Raley tallied three goals and two assists.
• Freshman Kyle Pearson made eight saves and had two steals in the win over the Rams. Against the Seahawks, he totaled 14 saves, including one on a five-meter, one assist and one steal.
 
Up Next
• Hopkins hits the road on Sunday, November 7 to take on Bucknell. The game is slated for a 3:00 pm start at Kinney Natatorium.