The Hopkins men's soccer season came to an unfortunate end last Wednesday, after a 1-0 NCAA tournament loss to Messiah College -- one of the nation's best Division III teams.
Despite the defeat, the season proved a huge success for Hopkins. The Blue Jays compiled a 17-3 record and were Centennial Conference Champions.
The 2002 season was the fourth consecutive that the team finished the regular season atop the standings, and was the second straight year in which the team won the Conference Tournament.
It was an exciting year for Blue Jay soccer. The season began with a bang as the team recorded four straight wins and the Dr. Al Tucci JHU Kickoff Classic and the JHU Alumni Invitational tournament crowns. Over the four games Hopkins out-scored its opponents 27-1.
But then the Jays struggled, losing two of their next four games in away matches against non-conference opponents Drew University and Arcadia.
"After the losses, our team was really able to mesh well which resulted in a late-season string of eleven straight wins. Because everybody was so confident in each other, we were able to win some very close games at the end of the season when it mattered most," commented junior striker Chad Tarabolous.
The winning streak included victories over nine conference opponents, the last four of which truly tested the team's character.
Through all sorts of conditions, the 2002 Blue Jays found ways to win. Whether it be twice coming from behind in the pouring rain to defeat nationally ranked Gettysburg and take control of the conference rankings, or needing penalty kicks to send Muhlenberg and Franklin & Marshall home for the season, Hopkins used all its weapons to find success.
The most remarkable stories of the year included the surprise contributions of the freshman class, the consistent play and leadership of the seniors, and Tarabolous' scoring binge (22 goals, 47 points to lead the league).
The individual play of Tarabolous and senior midfielders Adam Hack and Daniel Brienza earned them the honor of making the Centennial Conference Men's First Team. Additionally, freshman striker Steve Read and sophomore goalkeeper Gary Kane, Jr. were honorable mention selections.
The class of 2003 will certainly be missed. The graduating class includes many outstanding players, including the likes of starters Adam Hack, Daniel Brienza, Matt Weill and Greg Mengels.
"Of course we're going to miss them all, but especially Adam Hack. He was really our MVP this year. His consistent play sparked the entire squad. He will be real tough to replace," remarked Coach Matt Smith.
Next year's team expects to be just as competitive as this year's was.
"Although we lose a strong senior class, but we also return a large group of underclassmen that now have some experience under their belt. I see more good results in store for next year that will hopefully lead to another NCAA tournament berth," added Tarabolous on the prospect of defending the Conference title for the second consecutive year.
The Blue Jays will turn to the leadership of Tarabolous and sophomores Chris Brown and Gary Kane, Jr. in their quest for a fourth consecutive Centennial Conference championship.
They will also expect to get stellar efforts out of this year's freshman class, led by Read and sweeper Jeff Grosser. The experience earned this season should turn into leadership and success in the years to come.
The final game this season was a 1-0 loss at Messiah College in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
"We were disappointed that we received such a tough draw for the first round of the tournament, as Messiah had been ranked in the top five in the country most of the season. However, we knew we had the ability to beat them so we went into the game with no fear," said junior striker Chad Tarabolous.
Messiah junior Matt Bills decided the game with a penalty kick goal with 15 minutes remaining in the match, giving the Falcons the victory and ending the Blue Jays' season.
Hopkins finished the year with a 17-3 record, having won 11 straight before the tournament loss.
The first half was a struggle for the Blue Jays. While they produced several solid chances, they couldn't manage a goal. The second half was controlled by Messiah, who out-shot the Blue Jays 14-8 for the game.
Despite dictating play, the Falcons couldn't score until Bills was taken down by Blue Jay goalkeeper Gary Kane, Jr. in the penalty box, resulting in the winning try on net.
Although Hopkins came back strong, they were unable to score.
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