Women's teams start off strong

Strong showings in the first week of the season for Hopkins' women's volleyball, cross-country and soccer teams will hopefully bode well for the female Blue Jays this fall, with all three teams hoping to continue their success into the later months.

The women's soccer team came into the season ranked No. 2 in the Centennial Conference, scoring just one point less in the coaches' poll than Gettysburg, who narrowly defeated the Jays last year, 4-3, in the conference championships. The year after amassing 16 wins, the second most in the history of the program, Hopkins is poised for revenge, returning eight starters.

The Blue Jays' squad of veterans includes last year's two leading scorers, senior Megan McIntosh and sophomore Kim Lane, both of whom netted ten goals in 2004. On the other side of the field, the Jays expect strong contributions from junior defender Lindsey Kimura, who was a first-team All Mid-Atlantic selection last year, and senior goalie Jen Goebel, a co-captain of the team, who led the conference last season with eight shutouts.

Goebel pocketed another two shutouts in this year's first three games, silencing the offenses from Oneonta State, ranked fifth by the National Soccer Coaches' Association of America's preseason poll, and Stevens Tech. The Jays enter their game against Washington & Lee on Saturday with a perfect 3-0 record.

Blue Jay volleyball returns several proven stars who took the team to the Centennial Conference championship game against Gettysburg, but they will look to their new additions to put the team over the edge. Senior team leaders Katie O'Callaghan and Jen Hajj, both approaching the 1,000 kill mark, will use their experience to try to steer the team back to the title game.

But the team's ultimate success may rest on the five-foot-ten-inch frame of freshman setter Amanda Lewis, who will need to adjust immediately to playing a key role on the team in her first days as a college athlete.

"Our team's success is going to be measured very closely to the setter's position and Amanda's success," said head coach Scott Pennewill to http://www.hopkinssports.com.

The Jays christened the season by dispatching Goucher College in a sweep, recording victories of 14 points or more in all three games, with Lewis pocketing 37 assists in her first collegiate match. They then beat Marymount in a five game squeaker and promptly swept the Asics/JHU Invitational to cruise to a 5-0 record.

Looking to improve on their 6-12 2004 season, Blue Jay field hockey will bring a brand new style to a brand new field. Making a radical change, the Jays will incorporate a new "cover" position between the midfield and defense that will act as on-field leader during transitions. Taking over the new position is senior and star player Meighan Roose, an experienced leader who should quickly adjust to the athletic and mental demands of the position.

The Jays will transition to their new style on Homewood's Sportexe Momementum 51 turf, the same state-of the-art surface used by the Baltimore Ravens. The better shock-absorbing playing field comes as a welcome change after 25 years on the now-archaic AstroTurf.

However, the surface has yet to have the opportunity to help the team, as they have taken off to a slow 1-2 start in three away games. They will play their home opener this Saturday at 5 p.m. against Washington & Lee.

The women's cross country team notched an auspicious start to the season, finishing in second place at the Baltimore Metro Invitational, barely losing to Division I cross-town rival Towson University. Pacing the way for the Blue Jays were sophomores Angela Kaon and Javi Hartenstine, who placed third and fourth in the race, respectively.

The Jays also received a notable contribution from its newcomers. Two freshmen, Emma Hiza and Bhavna Abbi, joined the pair of sophomores in the top ten, respectively nabbing sixth and eighth place at the meet. With a score of 32, the team ran its best Invitational in recent memory, eclipsing last year's 61 by 29 points.

Hopkins enters the season practically unscathed by graduation, and the young team hopes to bounce back from a disappointing eight-place finish at the Centennial Conference championship meet last November. They next face competition on September 17 at the Green Terror Challenge, hosted by McDaniel College.