HOBOKEN, NJ – The Johns Hopkins men's soccer team got a pair of first-half goals from senior Axel Whamond and the Blue Jay defense notched its fifth straight shutout as the Blue Jays slipped past Catholic, 2-0, in the third round of the NCAA Division III Tournament at Stevens Saturday afternoon.
 
The Blue Jays improve to 15-1-7 and advance to Sunday's NCAA Quarterfinal game against the host Ducks, who knocked off Cortland St., 2-1, in the other Sweet 16 game at Stevens.  This will be Johns Hopkins' first appearance in the quarterfinals since 2006.
 
Whamond gave the Blue Jays all the scoring they would need in the 17^th minute when he converted in transition off a perfect centering pass from the wing from Jonathan Cui.
 
The Blue Jays doubled their one-goal lead less than five minutes later when Aidan Dunphy played a perfect endline cross into the area and Whamond tapped it home for his eighth goal of the season.
 
While the Blue Jays enjoyed the two-goal lead over the final 68 minutes, the Cardinals (13-4-4) certainly tested them.  Graduate student goalie Alex Morgret came up with six saves the Blue Jays got a pair of defensive saves, including one in the 32^nd minute and another in the 84^th minute, to preserve the shutout.  The defensive save in the 84^th minute came as Catholic was making its final push; Morgret made back-to-back saves in a span of 25 seconds and the second of the two defensive saves came 15 seconds after the second of his stops to maintain the two-goal margin.
 
The Blue Jays outshot the Cardinals 20-17 and Catholic goalie Austin Coron made eight saves to keep the game tight.  The Cardinals held an 8-6 advantage in corners and eventually played the final 2:58 a man short when Owen Maher was sent off.
 
Notes:  The eight goals the Blue Jays have scored in three NCAA Tournament games this season are already the most in any one tournament in program history.  Johns Hopkins and Stevens will be meeting for the fourth time overall and the second time in the NCAA Tournament; the Ducks slipped past the Blue Jays on penalty kicks in the third round of the 2008 tournament.