Johns Hopkins University Athletics

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – The Johns Hopkins women's soccer team eased into the second round of the 2023 NCAA Division III Tournament with a 3-1 win over Penn State Berks in a first round game at Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday.  The Blue Jays improve to 16-2-2 and will take on the winner of the Virginia Wesleyan-Montclair State game in Sunday's second round game at Virginia Wesleyan (1 pm).
 
The Blue Jays controlled the action early, but didn't find the back of the net until the 31^st minute, when the Nittany Lions were called for a foul in the box and Hopkins was awarded a penalty kick.  Junior Katie Sullivan stepped to the line and calmly blew her 15^th goal of the season past Penn State goalie Sophia Gonzalez to give the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead.
 
The one-goal lead held for just over 12 minutes before a Katia Chiampas strike from 22 yards out on a free kick snuck past a diving Gonzalez and just inside the near post to double the Blue Jay lead.  The Blue Jays maintained the two-goal lead through halftime and past the 60-minute before senior Alanna Craig gave them an insurance goal with her first tally of the season and the second of her career.
 
The Nittany Lions made things interesting as they converted a penalty kick of their own in the 68^th minute.  After a Blue Jay defender took down an attacking player on the edge of the box, Sara Hathaway slipped her penalty offering home to trim the deficit to 3-1.  The Blue Jay defense clamped down over the final 22 minutes to seal the two-goal victory.
 
Eva Breiland played the first 53 minutes in goal for the Blue Jays and posted a pair of saves before giving way to Allyson Shick, who closed things out.  The Blue Jays held a 26-5 advantage in shots and took nine of the 13 corner kicks in the game.
 
Johns Hopkins, which is making its 21st appearance in the NCAA Tournament, including its 18^th straight, picked up its 38^th all-time NCAA Tournament victory and is now 9-1 in the NCAAs under head coach Dan Weiler.