Welcome back to another edition of Hopkins Sports in Review! With the season well underway, our Blue Jays teams are seeking to establish themselves within conference play to make a push toward post-season glory. Come along with us as we take a look back at some of the most outstanding performances from the past week!
Women’s Volleyball: (3–2), (3–0)
Coming off a couple of successful fixtures in last weekend’s Hopkins Invitational, the Blue Jays Women’s Volleyball team looked to continue its strong form against its out-of-conference opponent, fifth-ranked Juniata Eagles. The Jays were able to climb to an early one-set lead against their feathered foes in what was a closely fought opening to the event. However, the Eagles would not back down as they stormed back to take the next two sets in relatively comfortable fashion, 25–19 and 25–23.
Hopkins was not to be deterred, staging a somewhat unlikely comeback against its strong opponent, first with a thrilling 25–19 fourth-set victory before sealing the upset with a decisive eight-point margin in the final set. Senior outside hitter Ivy Swafford led the Jays with an impressive 21 kills, while freshman middle blocker Bethany Sherwood managed the most blocks in the game with seven!
Moving into Centennial Conference play, Hopkins opened against Bryn Mawr in what was a swift and convincing victory for the Jays. With momentum on its side, Hopkins made quick work of its opposition in what was a well-rounded team performance. Sherwood once again held down the defense with a team-leading three blocks, while sophomore opposite Emily Overtoom registered 11 kills.
Field Hockey
Ranked as the eighth best team in the country, the Hopkins field hockey team is perched in a strong position as it enters conference play. Over the weekend, it would be challenged by the 12th-ranked Ursinus Bears in what was a tightly fought affair between two of the best squads that the Centennial Conference has to offer.
Despite a low scoring affair, the match was controlled for large stretches by the Blue Jays. The first period saw them take seven shots to the Bears’ zero, the first of which almost put Hopkins on the scoreboard within the opening seconds of the contest.
Moving into the back half of the game, it proved to be a much more even affair, with the two sides only managing six combined shots in the final three periods. Despite surrendering a couple of penalty corners in the third quarter, the Hopkins defense remained stout, allowing for it to keep the victory within reaching distance. With just three minutes left in the game, the Blue Jays won a penalty corner that would help to put them on top, thanks to a last-minute winner from senior midfielder Caeli Robinson, who was assisted by senior forward Sophia Albano.
The team will continue its home stand this Wednesday against Swarthmore College at 4:00 p.m.!
Men’s Tennis
Hopkins tennis was coming off a massively successful weekend at the ITA’s Southeast Women’s Singles Championship. Junior Sahana Madala took home the championship as the fourth Blue Jay to ever do so in the women’s division, and now it was the men’s turn at the same contest!
Traveling to Fredericksburg, Virginia, the Blue Jays entered with the No. 2 seed in the competition, graduate student Adam Stavrakas. To take home the title, Stavrakas would have to face six different competitors, including the top-seeded player in the championship round.
Clinical would be an understatement to describe how Stavrakas performed, as he dropped a total of ten games en route to the Blue Jays sixth all-time title at this event. The closest competition came in the championship match, in which Stavrakas went to a tie breaker to decide the first set. Coming out on top, he then cruised to victory in comprehensive fashion, winning the second set, and championship, in six games to one.
With this achievement, Stavrakas earned All-American honors and has advanced to the ITA Cup in Rome, Georgia which will be held Oct. 15–18.
Men’s Soccer
After a slow start to the year, the Men’s Soccer team has found itself in a winning groove, stitching together five consecutive victories coming into the game against Gettysburg. Conference play is never easy, and this match was certainly no exception, but the resiliency shown by the team should go a long way to forging an identity of grit and toughness.
The Jays were struck early by a ninth-minute goal from Gettysburg after a deflection off a Hopkins defender sent the ball into the box. This scoreline would remain for much of the contest until a 62nd-minute equalizer from sophomore forward Connor Wilkes would draw the teams level. It was a tale of two halves as the Blue Jays outshot Gettysburg 11–3 in the second, allowing them to wrestle back control and manage a draw from a game that could have gone awry.
The Jays will travel to Salisbury on Wednesday to take on the Sea Gulls in what should be an exciting match!
