CHESTERTOWN, MD – The Johns Hopkins men's soccer team got a goal in each half to shutout host and top-seeded Washington College, 2-0, in the Centennial Conference Semifinals Friday night. The Blue Jays improve to 11-4-4 while the Shoremen suffer just their second loss and fall to 11-2-5.
Graduate student
Ben Goodman put the fourth-seeded Blue Jays on the board in just the 12
th minute. Hopkins pressured and forced a Washington College turnover at midfield and senior
Logan Falzarano found Goodman open on the right sideline. Goodman took a couple of touches up field before cutting back on his defender. He then ripped a left-footed shot from just inside the box into the left upper 90.
Hopkins needed even less time in the second half to push its lead to two. A takeaway in the Blue Jays' defensive end led to a quick counterattack. Junior
Will Sangpachatanaruk sprung classmate
Jonathan Cui on the break. With Shoremen goalie Anthony Pinto off his line, Cui looked up and from 40 yards away lofted a ball towards the goal. The ball hit the left post and went in to give the Blue Jays a little cushion just 29 seconds into the second half.
Four minutes later, a shot by Ben Strine off a Shoremen corner kick hit the post and senior
Drew Valsamedis was able to pounce on the rebound to end the threat. Washington College had a chance to cut the lead in half in the 70
th minute when the home team was awarded a penalty kick. Chris Comber stepped up to the spot and picked the bottom right corner, but a diving Valsamedis knocked it away. The Shoremen were only able to get three more shots in the remaining 30 minutes as Hopkins took the win.
Washington College outshot Hopkins, 12-5, and had a 5-1 advantage in corners. Valsamedis finished with three saves to earn the shutout while Pinto made one.
Hopkins will travel to Allentown, PA to take on third-seeded Muhlenberg in the Centennial Conference Championship on Sunday, November 5. The game, a rematch of last year's title game, is slated for a 1:00 pm start.
Notes: Goodman's goal was his first of the season and just the fourth of his career • Hopkins is the only team to beat Washington College this season and scored four of the 13 goals allowed by the Shoremen • Hopkins will play in the Centennial Conference Championship for the second straight year and 10
th time overall • JHU and Muhlenberg will meet for the third time in the CC title game.