The Blue Jays lost an absolute heartbreaker to the University of Maryland (UMD) Terrapins in overtime with a final score of 9-8. The game was as close as the score was, and even in the loss there were a couple of individual standout performances.
Specifically, senior goalie Kathleen Garvey had some remarkable saves and was also able to force a turnover or two when a Terrapin got too close. In the end, it was all the more intense because lacrosse overtimes are a golden goal format, meaning the first team to score wins. Even with her great performance, a single play ended the game as a goal got past her.
The first half felt dominated by UMD for the most part. Hopkins did get out to a quick 2-1 lead in the first couple of minutes, but around halfway through the first period UMD held a 4-2 lead. And after getting up to that two-goal lead, the Terrapins dominated possession after possession. Hopkins turned the ball over a couple of times and also committed a couple of fouls. Both of these things helped to extend UMD’s possessions.
Thankfully, the Hopkins defense bailed itself out of several free positions and was able to make up for the team’s fouls. The main problem was that the offense did not get many opportunities — or at least that was the case until there were around five minutes left in the half. Then, graduate student attackman Mackenzie Heldberg assisted on the Jays’ third goal of the day, and then she scored two more to end the half. In what were only a few minutes, Hopkins not only broke their scoring drought, but they also took the lead to end the half 5-4.
The second half started off at lightspeed for UMD. Within the first minute, they had tied the game back up at 5-5 after they won the first draw. Then, for the next 10 minutes, it was a defensive struggle. Both teams turned the ball over with several missed shots and fouls. The way that Hopkins bailed itself out of committing fouls was very similar to how UMD played during these 10 minutes of the second half.
Hopkins had around five shots and three free position opportunities to score, but they were simply unable to convert. And then UMD started gaining some offensive momentum. They quickly transitioned from playing solid defense to scoring on offense around halfway through the period. UMD added two more goals to go on a little 3-0 run that put them up 7-5 on the scoreboard.
Hopkins was unwilling to let themselves get too far behind and quickly followed up with their own goal to make it 7-6. For the rest of the half, the game was incredibly intense. The Terrapins put in another goal, and then the Jays countered with their own. Then there was a couple of exchanging possessions where both teams missed a shot.
With about six minutes left in the half, Hopkins tied up the game at 8-8. Moreover, for the rest of the half, Hopkins had a couple of good opportunities to score. There were several fouls by the Terrapins that gave the Jays multiple free position opportunities, but sadly they were not able to capitalize on any of them, and the game headed to overtime.
In overtime, again the Jays had another free position opportunity that they could not capitalize on, and sadly the game ended with the Terrapins scoring the last goal after three minutes into the period.
Junior midfielder Mia Farnella discussed the game.
“The tough [overtime] loss has been a huge motivator for us,” she said. “There definitely are opportunities that we wish we could get back from Friday, but we are that much more dialed in practice and we’re using the loss to light a fire inside us. We are all really eager to play them again, but our main focus is really always us.”
Hopkins and Maryland play each other again next month. The Blue Jays next play University of Michigan March 26 and 28 at Ann Arbor.
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