BALTIMORE, MD – Visiting Pacific Lutheran scored twice in a 40-second span early in the first half, added another goal just before halftime and held off 17^th-ranked Johns Hopkins, 3-2, in the 2024 women's soccer season-opener for both teams at Homewood Field Friday afternoon.  This was the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
 
It took the Lutes less than six minutes to build their early two-goal lead with both goals coming from junior Olivia Boehm.  Boehm opened the scoring at the 4:51 mark off a corner kick.  After the Lutes' service was played into the box, the Blue Jays controlled the ball but couldn't clear and Boehm fired a left-footer to the far corner.
 
Just 40 ticks later, it was an opportunistic Boehm collecting a loose ball in the box to the left of Blue Jay goalie Tia Harrison and ripping a shot inside the far post to give the Lutes the two-goal lead.
 
The two-goal margin held for more than 24 minutes before the Blue Jays got one back with just under 16 minutes remaining in the first half.  Senior All-American Katie Sullivan worked her left foot free and fired one from distance that Pacific Lutheran goalie Abby Winkler saved but couldn't control and junior Maria Romo-Nichols poked it into an open net to draw the Jays within one.
 
Hannah Cecil restored the two-goal lead in the 41^st minute as a Kayden Hulquist cross from the wing found Cecil in the middle of the box and her deflected shot dribbled inside the far post.
 
The Blue Jays dominated possession and opportunities in the second half as they took 15 of the 17 shots after the break, but couldn't solve Winkler again until the 71^st minute, when Sullivan poked home a cross from freshman Gwen Rauvola to trim the deficit to 3-2.
 
Johns Hopkins pressured over the final 20 minutes, but Winkler posted six, second-half saves and the Blue Jays' final scoring threat – a header from the middle of the box by freshman Irene Sanchez Burgueno – drifted just outside the far post with just over a minute remaining.
 
Johns Hopkins will return to action on Wednesday, September 4 when the Blue Jays travel to Messiah to take on the third-ranked Falcons.
 
Notes:  Sullivan's goal was the 42^nd of her career, which moves her into sole possession of fifth place on JHU's career goal-scoring list.  In addition, she moved into sole possession of fourth place on JHU's career assist list with her 24^th career helper on the Romo-Nichols goal.