BALTIMORE, MD – The No. 5/5 Johns Hopkins women's basketball team used a dominant late-game presence in the paint to secure a 69-62 victory over No. 17/13 Trinity on Wednesday afternoon inside Goldfarb Gymnasium in just its second home contest of the season. With the win, the Blue Jays improve to 9-0 overall, marking the best start to a season in program history.
Entering the fourth quarter, momentum appeared to favor the Bantams, but senior
Kendall Dunham quickly swung it back in Hopkins' direction. Dunham drilled back-to-back three-pointers to close the third quarter and open the fourth, reigniting the Blue Jays and helping them seize control down the stretch.
The opening quarter was tightly contested with both teams struggling to find any offensive rhythm. Hopkins turned up the defensive pressure in the second quarter, forcing five turnovers and opening the frame on a 15-4 run. The surge, highlighted by points from five different Blue Jays and three triples, pushed Hopkins ahead 31-15 with 2:40 remaining in the half. Trinity responded with a strong close to the quarter, holding Hopkins scoreless the rest of the way to trim the deficit to 31-23 at the break.
Trinity carried that momentum into the second half, cutting the Hopkins lead to five on a Lucy Dorion three-pointer on the opening possession of the third quarter. The Blue Jays answered behind an
Emily Collins layup midway through the frame, extending the lead back to double digits at 40-30. Dunham capped the quarter with a three-pointer to give Hopkins an 11-point cushion heading into the final period.
Hopkins pushed the lead to as many as 16 in the fourth quarter following a
Jocelyn Goldstein layup, but the Bantams refused to go quietly. A late 16-6 Trinity run over a 4:37 span pulled the visitors within six, 62-56. Trinity then turned to the foul game, but the Blue Jays converted five of eight free throws down the stretch to seal the 69-62 victory.
Dunham led all scorers with a season-high 18 points, shooting an efficient 4-for-5 from three-point range.
Lauren Knudson added 11 points, while Goldstein chipped in 10.
Macie Feldman filled the stat sheet with a team-high 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals to go along with six points.
Johns Hopkins returns to action on Saturday, January 3, hosting the Johns Hopkins University Women's Basketball Classic. The Blue Jays will face William Paterson at 4:00 p.m. inside Goldfarb Gymnasium before concluding the weekend against Rowan on Sunday at 3:00 p.m.
