After upsetting third seeded Franklin & Marshall in the Centennial Conference semi-finals, the Women's Soccer team fell in a tough 1-0 final to top-seeded Muhlenberg College.
Additionally, the Lady Jays have been selected as the fourth seed in the Division III ECAC Mid-Atlantic Women's Soccer Championship, after finishing the season with a 12-4-3 record.
In the first half against Franklin & Marshall, the defensive units of both teams meant business, as neither team could muster any real offensive pressure.
In the second half, however, 52 minutes into things, freshman forward Kathleen Turley found a hole in the Bullet defense an unassisted goal to give the Blue Jays a 1-0 advantage.
Although Turley's goal would prove to be the game-winner, freshman forward Jen Baldwin gave Hopkins some breathing room and a 2-0 lead with her ninth goal of the year in the 79th minute.
The Blue Jays rode their 2-0 advantage to the final buzzer and into the Centennial Conference Championship to face Muhlenberg College.
Importantly contributing to the victory was junior goal-keeper Shannon O'Malley with six stops in the net, recording her fifth shutout of the season.
The Blue Jays' next undertaking was the Mules of Muhlenberg.
Including topping Hopkins in the regular season, Muhlenberg posted an impressive 17-2 record, and proved to be a very difficult task for the Lady Jays to handle in the championship.
Once again, the defenses of both sides kept the game scoreless for much of the first half.
In the 42nd minute, Muhlenberg struck with a quick offensive drive and put a shot passed O'Malley into the back of the Blue Jay net. From there Muhlenberg was able to hold off the various offensive surges by the Blue Jays.
Hopkins' offense managed some good scoring opportunities, but could not capitalize, holding a 26-13 shot advantage, 16 of which were taken in the 2nd half.
The Blue Jays fell just short of a third consecutive Centennial Championship, handing over the title to Muhlenberg.
Hopkins has been selected as the fourth seed in the Division III ECAC Mid-Atlantic Regional Women's Soccer Championship. The Blue Jays will face fifth seeded Franklin & Marshall in the first round of the tournament and will seek out their second consecutive ECAC championship.
Last year, Hopkins defeated Franklin & Marshall and Western Maryland, both in convincing fashion to earn the title.
Other teams competing in the tournament include sixth-seeded Gettysburg, third-seeded Carnegie Mellon, second-seeded Lebanon Valley and top-seeded Miseracordia. If Hopkins is able to overtake Franklin & Marshall they will travel to Lebanon Valley to take on Miseracordia in the semi-finals.
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