Junior attack Ryan Brown’s nine-point performance was not enough to knock Big Ten rival Ohio State this past Sunday. After nine ties, the hosting Buckeyes were able to close out the game on a 4-1 run, outlasting the visiting Blue Jays 15-12.
The conference matchup was the sixth all-time meeting and only the first win for Ohio State.
Midway through the fourth quarter, the Jays brought themselves within striking distance after Brown’s eighth goal brought the game to its last tie at 11-11. A quick pair of unassisted goals for Ohio State put it at 13-11 with less than seven minutes to play.
Both teams traded turnovers until Ohio State’s attack Jesse King netted his fifth goal of the game, extending his team’s lead to three with little time left.
Junior Connor Reed answered with an unassisted goal and then kept the hopes of the Jays alive, winning a possession on the ensuing faceoff. His efforts were stifled by Buckeyes goalie Tom Carey, who dished it to teammate Carter Brown, switching fields and dumping an empty net goal for the opposition rounding out the final score at 15-12 in favor of Ohio State.
The contest started with plenty of promise for the Jays, as Ryan Brown started the scoring with two within the first five minutes. His initial push was countered by Carter Brown, who also scored twice following another strike from Buckeyes junior Ryan Hunter.
The home team offense was then able to take hold of the game for the majority of the half before Ryan Brown’s third and fourth preceded a tying score from freshman Joel Tinney, ending the half at a 6-6 tie.
In the second half, the lead changes began with the Buckeyes securing consecutive, one-goal leads, but each was answered by Hopkins, including yet another pair from Brown and an extra man goal from sophomore mid John Crawley until the ultimate 4-1 run that decided the game.
For Hopkins, Brown’s career day tied his own personal best while falling a goal short of a school record. The eight-goal performance puts his season total at 36, good enough for third in the country.
“I’ve never seen someone shoot the ball so well,” senior teammate Michael Pellegrino said.
The offense also benefitted from four multiple-point showings dispatched by Reed, Crawley, Wells and freshman Shack Stanwick. Freshman Hunter Moreland was also a bright spot for the offense, winning eight of his 13 face-offs.
On the other side, the host Buckeyes were led by their own Brown and Carter, who, combined with senior Jesse King, totaled 11 goals and two assists while senior captain David Planning added his own four-point contribution. On the defensive side, sophomore goalie Tom Carey secured 14 saves.
Hopkins falls to 4-6 overall, suffering its first loss in the Big Ten conference after taking down Rutgers last week.
“It’s the little details that end up killing us in these close games,” Pellegrino said. “We have shown incredible heart and will continue to fight, and if we can refocus and execute, we will be a scary team to face.”
Up next for Hopkins is another Big Ten conference meeting with Penn State this Saturday.
“This loss was a tough one but we’re going to keep playing hard and laying it out there,” goalie Eric Schneider said. “We’re playing some tough teams, undoubtedly, but the team feels we’re beating ourselves with our own mistakes. We’ve still got the whole season in front of us and are definitely excited for the opportunity to play Penn State.”
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