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(10/25/12 6:29pm)
As the eyes of baseball fans across the country fix their attention on San Francisco for the World Series this week between the Detroit Tigers and the host Giants, 28 other front offices have already begun to mull their offseason plans.
(10/19/12 4:13pm)
Few things in this world capture my attention as much as playoff baseball does.
(09/27/12 9:14pm)
Despite their 13-3 record and arguably the toughest schedule of any Hopkins sports team, Blue Jay water polo often goes overlooked around Homewood. But it’s largely no fault of their own: because the team plays in a shallow 25-yard pool (there is technically no standard pool-size for water polo), the Jays only have four home games during the 2012 season. In the last week, Hopkins hosted three of those four, racking up a 2-1 record against George Washington University, 19-11, Bucknell University, 14-13, and Princeton University, 6-9. For senior Ross Schofield, the homestand marked some of the last opportunities to compete at Hopkins, and he made them count. Schofield, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound utilityman, knocked home 19 goals in the three-game set, including back-to-back eight-goal games to set a school record for the most goals scored in a game. As a result, he won the Collegiate Water Polo Association’s Southern Division Player of the Week. We caught up with Ross to ask about the team’s terrific start.
(09/20/12 11:57pm)
For the last seven years, Hopkins women’s soccer has been a Centennial Conference dynasty. Since the start of the 2005 conference season, the Lady Jays have posted an astounding 62-6-2 regular season record while earning seven consecutive Centennial tournament crowns. The key to Hopkins’ string of dominance can be traced to the program’s ability to recruit and develop young players who immediately contribute alongside wily senior veterans. With time, these youngsters become the elder statesmen around which the team revolves. In just the past three years, the examples are aplenty. As a freshman, Jenn Paulucci (’11) was a first-team all-conference selection; as a senior, she was the National Defender of the Year. As a freshman Erica Suter (’12) was also a first-team all-conference selection; as a senior, she was the National Midfielder of the Year. And last season, sophomore forward Hannah Kronick, The News-Letter’s Athlete of the Week, was also named a first-team all-conference selection as a freshman. She tied for the team lead with 19 goals scored. Though any comparisons to Paulucci and Suter are lofty — they are among the women’s soccer program’s all-time greatest — Kronick has already begun to live up to the expectations. This past week, Kronick tied a conference record with four goals scored, supplying all the horsepower in the Jays’ 4-0 romp with Washington College. She was named Centennial Conference Offensive Player of the Week, her fourth such honor all-time. We caught up with the Hopkins soccer star to discuss what has clicked for her since arriving at Homewood.
(09/20/12 11:52pm)
On the heels of two solid showings at the Navy Labor Day Open and Princeton Invitational to begin the year, Hopkins water polo cruised through five opponents in another Navy Invitational this past weekend. The Blue Jays entered the weekend with a 6-2 record, but promptly swept through the Annapolis, Md.-based tournament by outscoring their competitors 91-31. They then defeated George Washington University, 19-11, on Wednesday night at home to improve to 12-2 on the year. The Jays finished the previous weekend at Princeton with a tough 13-11 defeat at the hands of MIT, and came out full-throttle in the first game of the weekend against Washington and Jefferson College to regain some momentum. Led by sophomore Wes Hopkins who scored three goals and added a career-high six assists, the Jays dominated the Presidents, 22-6. For Hopkins, a 6-foot-2, 200-pounder from Silver Spring, Pa., it was the start of a career afternoon in which he scored 11 times and dished eight assists. Also adding goals in the game were freshman Blake Range, and seniors Kielan Crow and Ross Schofield. Schofield took the reigns in game two against Northern Virginia. Behind his four goals, the Jays dodged University of Northern Virginia, 18-12, the closest contest of the weekend. Hopkins also saw six other players notch two scores each, and received solid goal play from freshman Erik Henrikson who has been splitting time with last year’s starter, sophomore Danny Ovelar. Henrikson had seven saves and one steal in the game. To complete the first day of action, Hopkins then tackled Notre Dame of Ohio in a showdown of unfamiliar foes. However, unlike the rest of the tournament, the Blue Jays had a distinct advantage in their 20-6 romp — they played in their home pool. The Jays gained an early lead and ran to a 17-1 lead at the half. Sophomore Hopkins was at the forefront of the offense’s efforts, scoring a career-best six goals, just one off the all-time single-game mark for the program. Schofield also impressed with four goals and four assists, and the Jays used four goalkeepers: Ovelar, Henrikson, and sophomores Jacob Dorn and Scott Weigel. The Blue Jays’ dominance continued on Sunday when the team defeated Fordham University, 13-3, and Connecticut College, 18-4, to give them five straight wins. Against Fordham, the Jays were led by senior Alex Whittam, freshman Kevin Lee, and sophomore Johnny Beal. Whittam and Lee scored hat tricks apiece while Beal added four assists and a goal of his own. Beal and Whittam were back it again later that afternoon against Connecticut College, scoring a hat trick and recording five steals, respectively. Crow and Range also added hat tricks. On Wednesday, Hopkins’ winning ways continued against the Colonials of George Washington led again by Schofield. The Jays’ unique blend of upperclassmen and rookies has them sitting pretty as they head into league play. With just three home games remaining on the schedule, Hopkins will play two of them this Sunday against Bucknell and Princeton. Game times are slated for 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
(09/14/12 1:10am)
A year ago, Hopkins volleyball played the role of underdog. Although the Blue Jays were picked to finish second in the Centennial Conference preseason coaches’ poll in 2011, Hopkins had never won a Centennial title and was last competing for a league crown in 2004— seven years in the making.
(05/07/12 5:00am)
The 2012 Major League Baseball season began last week in Tokyo, and every team will play its first game by this Friday. With this in mind, it's time to roll out The News-Letter's annual MLB preview. A year ago, I picked the Red Sox over the Brewers in the World Series, harping on their respective off-season additions as the keys to what I thought would be their 2011 title runs. And while I'm not straying from that line of thinking again this year, the 2012 World Series will revolve more around the smaller, less media-frenzied moves than the major free-agent signings of Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder and Yu Darvish that transpired this winter. AL EAST The Winner: New York Yankees. Even in baseball's best division - yes, the AL East still holds an edge over the vast improved AL West and NL East divisions - it's tough to argue against the Bombers repeating as division champs. Fresh off a 97-win campaign a season ago, the Yankees addressed their most glaring need this offseason by trading for behemoth right-hander Michael Pineda and signing Hiroki Kuroda from the Dodgers. They also re-added pinstripe faithful Andy Pettitte, together giving New York what I consider baseball's most productive offseason. New York posted baseball's best run differential in 2011 and hopes for continued growth from Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson and Brett Gardner. The key will be the health and production of the Yankees' older moneymen - Derek Jeter (age 38 in June), Alex Rodriguez (age 37 in July) and Mark Teixeira (age 32 next week) - who need to contribute like they did in their youth. Knockin' on the door: Toronto Blue Jays. To avid baseball fans, the Blue Jays are well known as the best fourth-place team in baseball. Toronto has finished fourth each of the last four seasons, and that's probably where they will fall again this year. It's not because they're not trying, though. General manger (GM) Alex Anthopolous has done a terrific job in his two years at the helm of the organization, becoming a Canadian wunderkind in deals for Jose Bautista, Yunel Escobar, Brett Lawrie, Colby Rasmus, Sergio Santos and others, while also shipping Vernon Wells and Alex Rios elsewhere. He also began to revitalize the Blue Jays once nearbarren farm system, developing the game's largest scouting department, and it has paid dividends through the draft and trades like the Roy Halladay swap. The Jays have proven and promising arms,such as Ricky Romero and Brandon Morrow, and, although they won't land Joey Votto as expected after this season, they have several pieces in place to contend soon. Breakout candidate: Matt Moore, LHP, Rays. AL CENTRAL The Winner: Detroit Tigers. This division is, without a doubt, the easiest to pick. The Tigers are head and shoulders above everyone else in the division, featuring the Central's top rotation, headlined by reigning Cy Young and MVP award winner Justin Verlander and best lineup, led by Miguel Cabrera and newcomer Fielder. And, although I'm not a huge fan of closer Jose Valverde - his K/9 numbers have decreased every year since 2006, and his WHIP has increased each of the last three seasons heading into his age 34 summer - there is something to be said for a perfect, save percentage, last year. The continued maturation of Doug Fister, Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello, in addition to resolving their serious defensive questions, will be vital for another Mo- Town celebration. All in all, Detroit has the right pieces to contend for a World Series title in 2012. Knockin' on the door: Kansas City Royals. Going into last season, the Royals' farm system was widely considered one of the best in the history of baseball. The club landed a record nine players on Baseball America's top 100-prospect list. Later in the summer, Kansas City began to see the fruits of several impressive draft classes, as youngsters Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and many others were called up to the Bigs. Since then, GM Dayton Moore has tried to lock up several pieces of this core, beginning with Billy Butler and outfielder Alex Gordon, who finally started to fulfill the promise that once made him the second overall pick in 2005. At the same time, Moore has avoided bad contracts, such as the ones he gave to Gil Meche and Jose Guillen just a few winters ago, something few others in the division have done. Just as important as Kansas City's youth movement, they are just one of two teams in the Central not bogged down by poor long-term deals like the ones handed to Joe Mauer and Adam Dunn last offseason and Fielder months ago. The other, the Indians, have far from the minor league riches that the Royals possess. Yes, things are looking up in KC. Breakout candidate: Jason Kipnis, 2B, Indians AL WEST The winner: Los Angeles Angels. I've tossed and turned in my sleep over this division, mulling the differences between the Halos and the two-time reigning American League champion Texas Rangers. But here's why I think the Angels trump Nolan Ryan's herd: pitching wins championships. Don't look now, but the Angels staff - Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, CJ Wilson and Ervin Santana - rivals the Phillies' and Giants' as one of the most talented corps of arms in baseball. As for the Rangers, their rotation is a question mark. They lost their ace, Wilson, and are now counting on Japanese import Yu Darvish, former closer Neftali Feliz, and young lefthanders Derek Holland and Matt Harrison to shoulder a very heavy load. All four of these arms could have breakout campaigns, but Darvish and Feliz will be rookie rotation mates, and the Southpaws are coming off 2011 seasons, in which they both greatly increased their workload - a troubling sign for pitchers 25 years old or younger. Both teams have good, if not great, offenses - I'd take Texas' because Los Angeles is so right-handed - but the difference in pitching will be the difference in the division. Knockin' on the door: Seattle Mariners. I would like to pick the Rangers here. After all, they have one of baseball's richest farm systems, showing time and time again that they are willing to invest in young international talents. But GM Jon Daniels and Texas aren't sneaking up on anyone. Instead, the Mariners just might be. While every other team in the AL West made a big free agent splash this offseason, the Mariners traded for young DH/catcher Jesus Montero and their young pitching should have them back in contention in due time. It won't be this year, and it might not be the year after, but when Albert Pujols begins to age, the heat of Texas wears on the Rangers' young arms, and the A's continue to wait around for their new ballpark, the Mariners pitching staff of Felix Hernandez, Danny Hultzen, Taijuann Walker and James Paxton will becoming into its own. Around the same time, Dustin Ackley, Justin Smoak, Montero and prospects Nick Franklin and Francisco Martinez should give Seattle enough juice to chase down the division's powers. Breakout candidate: Ackley, 2B, Mariners. Wild Cards: Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox: Tampa has holes behind the plate and at shortstop, but their young pitching should keep them in the playoff hunt. Boston was the best team in baseball from May- September last year, even without healthy or normal performances from Kevin Youkilis and Carl Crawford, so I expect them to rebound and battle the Yankees in the American League Championship Series. MVP and Cy Young: Adrian Gonzalez and Jered Weaver. NL EAST The Winner: Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies are far from the shoo-in they were a year ago when they built one of baseball's greatest rotations on paper; the Big Three of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels largely lived up to the hype. While those three should dominate once again, Philadelphia's offense is older and even more injury-prone than it was a year ago. Ryan Howard, Placido Polanco and Chase Utley will all start the season on the disabled list, with the season outlook of Howard and Utley extremely cloudy. All said, though, the postseason race will come back to pitching, and even if the $50 million doled out to Jonathan Papelbon this winter may have been a steep price, the Fightin's should feel secure in who they have on the mound in almost any inning. Because of this, it's tough to believe that Phillie fans won't be loving October baseball. Knockin' on the door: Washington Nationals. While it's tough to be a sleeper pick when you play in the nation's Capital and own two of the most highly touted young players in the game in Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper, the Nats most certainly are a sleeper. Washington hasn't finished .500 since 2005 when they were 81-81 and still played in Montreal. Yet I, and National manager Davey Johnson, expect D.C. to witness postseason baseball this year. Right now, I have them as the National League's sixth best team, just behind the San Francisco Giants solely because their pitching staff is less proven. However, Strasburg coupled with former Division III college baseball star Jordan Zimmermann give Washington a pair of flamethrowers coming off injuries. They also added strikeout machine Gio Gonzalez, by utilizing their bountiful farm system, and Edwin Jackson in the offseason, giving the squad a dangerously talented rotation. The bullpen, led by closer Drew Storen, is also ultra talented, and Ryan Zimmerman's offense should get a boon when Harper is called up in June. First in war, first in peace, last in the National League is a thing of the past. Breakout candidate: Zimmermann, RHP, Nationals. NL CENTRAL The Winner: Cincinnati Reds. Not even two weeks ago, I would have been tempted to call the Reds' offseason the best in the National League. And it still might be because the Reds have a very legitimate chance to advance deep into October this year. Their deal to land Mat Latos, a young, team-controlled potential ace for a host of prospects, whose futures in Cincinnati were blocked by Joey Votto and rookie catcher Devin Mesoraco, was the defining addition of the division's winter. And their one-year deal for closer Ryan Madson was a steal. But then Madson had Tommy John surgery last week, and the Reds risked the future of the franchise with a gargantuan ten-year $225 million extension for Votto on Monday. Even with these circumstances, Cincinnati is primed for the playoffs because of their unquestioned depth around the horn and in the rotation; already their bullpen depth is being utilized, as Sean Marshall will step into the Reds' closer's role for Madson. This, combined with the losses of Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder in the division and three teams that have virtually no shot at October, have the Reds in better shape than any of their counterparts. Knockin' on the door: Chicago Cubs. Okay, not entirely. But when else am I going to talk about my beloved Cubbies in a positive light this year? The Cubs farm system isn't all that great - it's highlighted by outfielders Brett Jackson and Matt Szczur and infielders Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez, but it lacks a true impact arm - and the team is still hampered by the monster contract given to Alfonso Soriano under the Jim Hendryregime. Thus, 2012 seems like a lost year. However, the addition of Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod to the Lovable's front office should make the club relevant again before long. Already, Epstein and Co. have unloaded Carlos Zambrano's albatross salary and ego, foregone the temptation to splurge on any big name free agents like Pujols or Fielder as well as not resign Aramis Ramirez, and managed to trade for Rizzo, the club's best bet for a longterm solution at first-base since Mark Grace. Although things may spiral on-the-field in the near future, the Cubs' new-look baseball operations and scouting departments have the wherewithal to turn things around in due time. Breakout Candidate: Mesoraco, C, Reds. NL WEST The Winner: Arizona Diamondbacks. Surprisingly, few people are as high on Arizona heading into the season as I am. And, although I hear the worries as much as the next guy - predicted down years from pitchers Trevor Cahill and Ian Kennedy in addition to offensive catalyst Ryan Roberts - the Diamondbacks are still the most talented team in the division. San Francisco did not upgrade their offense well, the Dodgers were limited by financial constraints, the Rockies have little to no pitching, and the Padres are rebuilding. Thus, Justin Upton and the D-Backs will prevail, not by default, but because of their young core and rotation depth. Knockin' on the door: San Diego Padres. Shipping Latos to Cincinnati may give the wrong impression to Padre fans, but GM Josh Byrnes does have a plan in mind: to rebuild through the farm system. The Padres have exceptional depth in the Minor Leagues, rivaled only by the Diamondbacks in the division, which should bring the Friars back to relevancy before long. The additions of former UMiami standouts Yonder Alonso and Yasmani Grandal in the Latos trade boosted a system already led by outfielder Rymer Liriano and right-hander Casey Kelly, part of the Adrian Gonzalez-trade, and the duo should make an impact as soon as this year. Breakout candidate: Drew Pomeranz, LHP, Rockies. Wild Cards: Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants: Atlanta, like Boston, will rebound from their collasal collapse late September because of their staggering rotation depth. The Gigantes return plenty of pitching but the Nationals, Marlins, Brewers and Cardinals will be knocking. They need to prove they can hit. MVP and Cy Young: Justin Upton and Roy Halladay. World Series: New York Yankees over Cincinnati Reds.
(04/19/12 8:53pm)
Hopkins men’s tennis, currently ranked 16th in the country by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), won a pair of critical matchups this past week. The Blue Jays, now 11-4 overall, remained undefeated in the Centennial Conference with a convincing 9-0 win over Muhlenberg on Saturday. The next day the team traveled to Pittsburgh where they battled the 13th-ranked Tartans of Carnegie Mellon for a dominant 8-1 victory.
(03/15/12 5:00am)
On the heels of our men's lacrosse season preview last week, here is what else and who else Blue Jay nation can look forward to this spring. This feature will be continued next week with previews of the men's and women's tennis seasons. W o m e n ' s Lacrosse Lady Jay lacrosse has yet to become the National powerhouse that the men's program has built through decades of a winning tradition, but the girls may be on their way as soon as this spring. A year removed from a 9-8 season that included upset wins over then fourth-ranked Penn and second-ranked and eventual National Champions Northwestern, Hopkins returns nine starters from the 2011 campaign. The experience certainly showed in their first two games this past week when the Jays crushed George Mason, 19-6, and Mt. St. Mary's, 18-8. Hopkins, brimming with confidence heading into their home-opener this Friday at 4 PM against Denver College, expects to not only improve upon last year's record but also compete at a national level. "We have extremely high expectations for this year," Head coach Janine Tucker recently told Hopkinssports.com. "It should be a culmination of the last couple of years of experience." Leading the way for the Jays this spring will be the dynamic scoring duo of Colleen McCaffrey and Candace Rossi. The two senior attackmen have both posted over 100 points during their illustrious careers and were each named IWLCA All-Region selections a year ago. Joining McCaffrey and Rossi up top will be fellow All-Region selection sophomore Taylor D'Amore. A season ago, D'Amore led the Jays in assists and draws, with 19 and 38, respectively, and broke the school record for points scored by a freshman. On Wednesday against Mount St. Mary's, D'Amore scored a career-high seven points - four goals and three assists - indicative of her aggressive style of play. In the middle of the field for Hopkins will be senior Rachel Serio, junior Courtney Schweizer and sophomores Sammy Cermack and Sarah Taylor. Serio, a graduate of nearby is a veteran who already has 50 starts in black and blue. Schweizer is coming off a 2011 season that saw her start six of the team's last seven games after she struggled with nagging injuries in the beginning of the year. In two games this year, she has already scored three goals compared with four all of last year. Defensively, Hopkins will be led by Tewaarton watch list nominee senior Alyssa K i l d a r e . She had 38 ground balls and 26 forced t u r n o v e r s in 2011. Juniors Sophia Sherry and Sammi Arbitman should also see significant time in the backfield. In goal, the Jays will turn to junior Cosette Larash who played every minute in goal last season while allowing 9.94 goals per game. Baseball Hopkins baseball will open its season against 10th-ranked Alvernia on Monday, Feb. 27th, the first of its four consecutive and only home games for an entire month. Following their first four games, the team will travel for five games and then leave for Phoenix, AZ, where the team will spend a large part of their time between now and their opening home conference match on Mar. 27th against Dickinson. There, they will spend their spring training alternating between the facilities of the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds. As the excitement of the season builds, the team looks forward to strong results from an impressive roster. Seniors Sam Eagleson and Alex Eliopoulos, two right-handed pitchers and key starters for the team in the past, look to repeat their combined 22-1 record of their sophomore years, which included an impressive 150 strikeouts. Senior co-captain and catcher/ thirdbaseman Aaron Borenstein is extremely confident in the team's rotation aces as well as the rest of the staff. "Our pitching staff is the best it has been in my four years here," the six-foot-one, 205-pounder said. "Our ability to shorten games by using a very strong bullpen will allow us to win a lot of close games this season." In addition to the pitching staff, junior shortstop Kyle Neverman is expected to have a strong season after hitting .297 with a teamleading 11 stolen bases last season. Borenstein is confident that Neverman's style of play will be indicative of the team's direction this season. "Our offense this season will be unlike any of the past three Hopkins teams I have played on," Borenstein said. "We will not rely solely on power this season and will instead use small ball and our team speed to steal extra runs. Our offense will display a great combination of speed and power." In addition to Neverman, the offense will feature firstbaseman Jeff Lynch, who boasted a .348 batting average with three home runs last season. He was named the Centennial Conference tournament co-MVP in 2011. Borenstein and junior Ryan Zakszeski, both catchers, will split time between the field and behind the plate to keep their potent bats in the lineup as well. Borenstein hit .318 last year while "Z" hit .300. Despite such quality, though, Borenstein is convinced that the team's "biggest strength this season is our unity. This team really loves playing the game together, and that, combined with our depth and experience, will make us a very tough team to beat. This is a team of best friends, and playing the game with people you love is vital for success." These words will be tested as the Blue Jays hope to win their sixth consecutive Centennial Conference tournament and head to the College World Series in Appleton, Wisconsin after a year hiatus.
(03/15/12 5:00am)
Our spring sports previews conclude this week with Hopkins' men's and women's tennis squads. Women's Tennis The Lady Jays will enter the 2012 season as the perennial favorite in the Centennial Conference, coming off of their fifth consecutive conference title. Hopkins, who finished last season ranked11th in the final Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) poll, welcomes back a host of contributors from last spring's championship club, including senior captain Courtney Boger, juniorNandita Krishnan and sophomore Hailey Hogan.Krishnan should be one of the Jays' top guns after she competed in the NCAA Singles Championships and was named Centennial Conference player of the week three times in a span of four weeks in 2011. Hogan, along with classmates Lauren Fields and Brooke Pottish, impressed during the Jays' fall season, as Hogan advanced to the ITA Southeast Regional Singles and Doubles - coupled with Pottish - title rounds to become the first player in program history to play in both final matches in the same year. In addition, Fields andPottish won bouts in ITA Southeast Regional play, Fields taking home the Blue 1 Singles draw, whilePottish captured the Blue 2 Singles draw. Hopkins will face some new challenges this season, however, as they lose reigning conference player of the year Carolyn Warren and welcome in new head coach Dave Woodring. Chuck Willenborg, who guided both the men's and women's programs to new heights in his eight years at the helm of Blue Jay tennis, was promoted to Director of Tennis Operations during the offseason. The Jays will kick off their season on Friday, Mar. 2nd in Greencastle, IN against eighth-ranked Washington and Lee. Men's Tennis Hopkins men's tennis began its spring season on Feb. 18th in sterling fashion, defeating Washington and Lee, 7-2. The win comes as no surprise, as the 13thranked Blue Jays are primed to win their sixth straight and seventh overall Centennial Conference title in 2012. Two weekends ago, Hopkins was led by senior WarrenElgort, who won in both third doubles, alongside freshman Tanner Brown, and at fourth singles. Senior Jacob Barnaby and freshman Noah Joachim also added wins at first doubles. In the fall season, the Blue Jays' most impressive showing came from the racket of junior Andy Hersh who finished 9-3 at the ITA Small College National Championships, good for fourth-place. Hersh entered the spring season tied withElgort for third all-time with 54 career wins at singles.Hersh, who was ranked sixth nationally heading into the season, will patrol the first singles position for the Jays in 2012. Like the women's side, Hopkins will be under new guidance this year. New Head coach Jamie Engles and the Jays will return to action Sunday, Mar. 11th against 11th-ranked North Carolina Wesleyan.
(03/15/12 5:00am)
Hopkins lady lacrosse posted its second consecutive victory over a top-25 ranked team on Wednesday night when the Jays powered past 15th-ranked Georgetown, 16-12, in Washington, D.C. The Blue Jays improved to 5-2 on the year, while Georgetown, who had previously played two top-five opponents, slipped to 2-3. Before Wednesday, the Lady Jays had last played a week prior, taking down 19th-ranked Towson in a defensive stalemate, 5-4, and carried their momentum for seven days into their contest with the Hoyas. Against Georgetown, Hopkins dominated the first-half, going into the locker room with a 10-4 advantage. The Blue Jays scored the game's first four goals, all from different sticks. Sophomore midfielder Taylor D'Amore started the onslaught, one of five goals the Canandaigua, N.Y. native notched on the night. Also scoring early and often for Hopkins was junior midfielder Courtney Schweizer, who collected the second goal of the game and a hat trick when all was said and done. Sophomore midfidler Sammy Cermack also added a goal early on, as did senior attackman Rachel Ballatori. Cermack netted four scores on four shots in the match, while Ballatori had two goals on two shots and two assists. The Jays continued their stellar play throughout most of the game, leading by as much as seven goals with seven minutes to play before the Hoyas slowly crept back into the conversation. Despite three goals in the final three and a half minutes of play for Georgetown, it was too little too late. Senior midfielder Candace Rossi led Hopkins in assists with three shares. Also contributing for the Jays was freshman goalie KC Emerson, who added 13 saves in 60 minutes of action. Hopkins returns to action this weekend at Homewood Field to take on the Crimson of Harvard in search of their third straight win. The game is slated for Saturday at noon.
(03/15/12 5:00am)
A year removed from one of Hopkins women's basketball's best seasons in recent memory, a campaign that included 22 wins - the last of which came in the first round of the NCAA Tournament - the Lady Jays entered their 2011-2012 schedule with expected nerves. Not only did Hopkins need to live up to the hype they created for themselves, but they also had to replace 1,000-point scorer Lyndsay Burton. Burton, who led the Jays in points and rebounds per game and was an honorable mention all-American last winter, was an impact power forward, a true game-changer teams needed to prepare for. So when junior forward Alex Vassila was awarded the task of filling Burton's shoes at forward this season, it was a daunting task. "To be honest, I know that a lot of us thought this year would be very difficult, picking up without great team leaders likeLyndsay Burton," Vassila said. "And going from that, I think it is impossible to replace such an outstanding player and teammate [as Burton]." However, as the season Jays have learned how to deal without a top-flight scorer like in years past. Instead, the Jays have relied on several hands to pick up the slack, most notably Vassila and senior guard Chantel Mattiola. "I think last year with Lyndsay on our team, we all felt that if we ever got stuck or needed a go-to player to bring a spark into the game, we could turn to Lyndsay," Vassila said. "Now, it can be any one on our team on any given day. Our starters all contribute, as well as our players who come off the bench. One secret weapon, you could say, that our team has which makes us so hard to beat is how deep we are on the bench." But as widespread as the Hopkins offense has been this season, the past few games have been Vassila's show. Beginning on Jan. 16th against conference rival Muhlenberg, the six-foot-one Maryland native has recorded four double-doubles in her last six games, reminscent of Burton's former dominance. Vassila posted her second double-double of the season on the 16th, a 10 point-10 rebound performance, before scoring 11 with eight rebounds in just 18 minutes of play against Bryn Mawr days later. In her next three games, Vassila led the Jays to key conference victories over Dickinson, Franklin and Marshall and Muhlenberg again with three more doubledoubles. On We d n e s d a y night, she just missed yet another doubledouble against Ge t t y s bu r g , but Vassila did manage to move into second place in school history with 111 career blocks. Her second meeting with the Mules was even more impressive than the first, as Vassila put up 16 points and a season-high 13 boards to lead the Blue Jays to a convincing win, 67-43, and comfortable first-place lead in the Centennial. The girls, she said, were playing with a chip on their shoulder. " G o - ing into t h a t game all of the r e t u r n - ers knew that we o w e d them a b e a t i n g on our c o u r t . Last year, we lost in the conf e r e n c e f i n a l s to them and had to watch them celebrate and cut down our net," Vassila recalled. "From the tipoff, I felt that our team was so aggressive and fighting for every loose ball, just playing the best basketball that our team could collectively play." For her individual performance on the court, Vassila was named the Centennial Conference's Player of the Week. "It was actually really shocking to me [to hear I won the award]," the junior said. "If someone had told me to pick someone on our team to give the honor to, I would have picked one of our amazing seniors that I've been so lucky to play with. So I guess it was a really exciting surprise that someone thought I deserved this honor." In the midst of a sixgame win streak, however, Vassila feels the team's breakthrough into the nation's top 25 rankings is a greater accomplishment. "I think I am more excited about our team finally getting the recognition it deserves," she said. Vassila's recent emergence and Burton-esque numbers are hardly surprises. Last season, she notched nearly nine points and eight rebounds a game in limited time, a sign of things to come. She then began this season with a double-double, scratching by York, 67-62. "I wish I could say there is something specific that has spiked a change in making me play the way that I have, but I don't think it is something I p e r s o n - ally have done. I think as a team we have had some g r e a t c h emi s - try on the court, and we have just been playing with all our hearts," she said. "Besides all the team's hard work that we have been putting in throughout the season, I have just been trying to keep working on things that I can control. Putting extra time in the gym to practice things as simple as making my layups, being consistent with free throws and crashing the glass." Heading into the final weeks of the regular season, the Lady Jays stand at 18-2 overall and have their sights set on the Centennial Conference playoffs. But with Vassila playing like past Blue Jay greats, the team hopes to compete in the NCAA Tournament come March. "I expect our team to finish off the regular season strong, and I do believe that we have a shot at winning the conference title this year," Vassila said. "I think if we continue to play the way we have been in our last few games, we can go very far into the postseason - yes, farther than last year."
(12/01/11 5:00am)
Faced with living up to one of Hopkins wrestling's most successful campaigns in 2010-2011, the Blue Jays were off to a difficult 1-7 start this year despite returning many of its core members, including NCAA tournament qualifiers juniors Paul Marcello and Reid Mosquera.
(11/17/11 5:00am)
Men's Basketball
(11/03/11 5:00am)
On a wind-stricken, snow-filled Saturday afternoon when other Centennial Conference events were postponed, the men's and women's cross country Conference championship wagered on in Newville, PA.
(11/03/11 5:00am)
In what has become a typical occurence this season, Hopkins women's soccer cruised by the second-place Gettysburg Bullets Sunday afternoon, 6-1. With the win, the Lady Jays clinched the first-seed in the Centennial Conference tournament and will host the tournament this weekend.
(10/19/11 5:00am)
After a difficult stretch in the field hockey schedule, one in which Hopkins dropped five in a row to several nationally ranked programs, the Blue Jays got back on their feet this weekend with a crucial win over Centennial conference rival Haverford, 2-1.
(10/12/11 5:00am)
Hopkins water polo travelled west this past weekend for the annual Claremont Convergence to compete against a group of the country's best Division III squads. Treading with top-ranked Pomona-Pitzer, fourth-ranked Cal Lutheran, fifth-ranked Redlands, and third-ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, the Jays flew home with a 1-3 record.
(09/28/11 5:00am)
Hopkins men's soccer played two games this past week, both Centennial Conference affairs. On Friday, the Blue Jays defeated Muhlenberg at home, 1-0, before beginning a four-game road trip at Gettysburg on Tuesday where Hopkins mustered a scoreless tie. The black and blue now stand at 4-2-3 overall and 2-0-1 in the Centennial action.
(09/07/11 5:00am)
The Hopkins football season could not have started any better. On offense and defense, the Blue Jays were running on all cylinders during their 45-14 rout of the United States Merchant Marine Academy.