W. Volleyball runs win streak to 16 games

Over the past three days, the Hopkins women’s Volleyball team broke old records and set new ones by defeating four different teams to start their season at 16-0. Hopkins has now shattered their previous consecutive wins record of 15 games straight. This is, without a doubt, the fastest start for the volleyball team in history, as the team has shown determination, heart, and a willingness to strive for perfection. Hopkins entered the weekend with a record of 12 wins and zero losses. In their first game they faced a tough opponent in Gallaudet on Friday night in Baltimore. The perfect season seemed in jeopardy as the Bison took control in the first set against a startled Blue Jays team. Despite having the lead in the set, Hopkins was unable to contain a Gallaudet attack that went on an 8-3 run to secure the first set. However, the girls put the tough start behind them and unleashed a powerful attack to salvage the second set, 25-22. With the momentum swinging to their favor, the Jays became a cohesive unit, going on a remarkable 17-3 run in the third set. They were led by sophomore Anne Cohen’s 10 consecutive points on serve to claim the third set 25-8. With a 2-1 set lead, freshman Jasmine Warmington and sophomore Ellen Rogers led the offense with a combined 16 kills while senior captain Amelia Thomas played solid defense to help the team secure a 25-20 win in the fourth set and keep the perfect season intact. However, the weekend was far from over for the Blue Jays who made the trip up the turnpike to Allentown, PA to take on Muhlenberg College. Hopkins took control from the first point to the last in the first set, winning 25-17 behind a strong balance of aggressive offense and stellar defense. In the second half, the offense erupted behind star attacker Warmington, concluding a quick second half in professional fashion 25-9. Warmington’s heroics prevailed again in the second half as the Jays held on 25-22 to secure a 3-0 victory. Warmington finished the game with 13 kills with help from sophomore Mariel Metalios who dished out 18 assists. Thomas led the way on defense with 17 digs, helping the Jays preserve the undefeated season. Finally, the team finished off the weekend with a doubleheader in St. Mary’s, MD where they faced two tough opponents in Messiah College and St. Mary’s College. Still clinging onto the perfect season, the girls entered the doubleheader determined to leave with that record still intact. The first match of the afternoon was against Messiah in which the Blue Jays took a commanding 2-0 sets lead after pummeling Messiah 25-9 in the first set and 25-18 in the second set. However, the momentum seemed to shift when the two teams were deadlocked deep into the late stages of the third set. The defense, led by Thomas, was able to prevail and help Hopkins overcome the Messiah effort by edging out a 26-24 third set win. With a 15-0 record, the Jays went into the second game of the doubleheader confident and ready to finish off the weekend on a high note with a win against St. Mary’s. Early on in the match, it didn’t appear as though a new school record would be achieved as St. Mary’s took a commanding 2-0 sets lead over the Blue Jays. When it appeared that the perfect season was quickly coming to a close, the Jays came together stronger and more determined than they ever had before. In impressive fashion, Hopkins stormed back to win the third set 25-20, proving that the match was far from over. The momentum clearly had shifted when the Jays absolutely dominated all aspects of the fourth set, winning easily 25-14. With the game knotted 2-2 in sets, Hopkins worked harder than they had all season to secure a fifth set victory 15-11 and set a new Hopkins volleyball record for 16 consecutive victories in a single season. Warmington, who leads the Centennial Conference in most offensive categories, was once again a crucial contributor to the victory with help from sophomore Katie Schwarz. Unfortunately, the win streak came to an end this Tuesday as the Stevenson Mustangs defeated Hopkins in straight sets, falling to 16-1. The team had won an impressive 29 regular season matches in a row dating back to September 27th of last year. Despite the loss, Hopkins is poised and ready to continue their surge towards the Centennial Conference crown and a run to the NCAA Championship. They’ve not only shown how they can work together to achieve their goals but also have demonstrated that they’re resilient and unwilling to accept anything short of their best. The Jays will next look to get back on track against Washington (Md.) tonight at 7PM and against Swarthmore College this weekend.

Athlete of the Week: Ross Schofield

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.

W. Soccer handed rare Conference loss

After playing one of the toughest out of conference schedules in all of Division III women’s soccer, the Lady Jays carried a 6-1-1 record into Saturday’s match up with Centennial Conference rival Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA. For Hopkins, their only blemishes had come in a loss to defending national champion Messiah College and a tie with then number two ranked Emory University. Despite dealing with a rash of injuries that had left the Blue Jay lineup depleted, they came into the game riding a four game winning streak in which they out-scored opponents 14-1. However, on this past gorgeous Saturday afternoon, the Lady Jays ran into a buzz saw in the form of Mules’ goalkeeper Francesca Cobuzzi. Despite outshooting Muhlenberg by a tally of 32-7, the Jays dropped a shocking 2-0 decision, one of the biggest upsets in the early goings of all of DIII women’s soccer. Cobuzzi posted an amazing 17 saves, and the Mules capitalized in their limited chances. Although Hopkins dominated the start of the game with four shots on Cobuzzi, it would be the Mules who would score first with their first shot on goal. In the 16th minute of action, CJ Graetzer would finish off a long punt from Cobuzzi by beating senior goalkeeper Meredith Maguire, putting the Mules ahead 1-0 early. While Hopkins continued to barrage the Muhlenberg net with shots, Cobuzzi held her own to finish off the first half with seven of her 17 saves, preserving the 1-0 lead. The second half played out much like the first with 20 total shots for the Blue Jays compared to just four for the Mules. However, with time winding down it was still Muhlenberg holding onto their one-goal lead. As the Blue Jays began pressing for a late, game-tying goal, Muhlenberg’s Taylor Pini put the game away with a goal in the 79th minute after a steal in the Blue Jays’ defensive zone. In earning the win, the Mules were able to do what few teams have been able to do this season: contain sophomore forward Hannah Kronick. Kronick was limited to just two shots, both on goal, a far cry from her typically dominant play. The Lady Jays have been hurt badly this season with injuries that have led to a short bench, requiring younger players to step up into big roles on the team. However, no one has stepped up quite like Kronick. Despite being just a sophomore, the Westfield, NJ native has already established herself as one of the team’s top offensive threats. She leads the team with 11 goals and 23 total points through nine games. To put that in perspective, the next highest goal scorer on the Blue Jays is junior Kelly Baker with two goals. Kronick’s 11 tallies accounts for just over half of Hopkins’ goal total as a team. Kronick has notched three hat-tricks including a four goal performance against Washington College. Following an historic freshman campaign (19 goals, 10 assists, NSCAA All-Region Second Team, First Team All-Centennial), she is looking to top the impressive numbers and personal accolades. On the other side of the field, the defense is anchored by senior captain Taylor Schulte and goalkeepers senior Meredith Maguire and junior Kelly Leddy. The Jays have combined to give up just nine goals over the first nine games of the season, while the offense has averaged 2.33 goals per game, putting the team in a position to win day in and day out. In addition to the Blue Jay goalkeepers splitting time, head coach Leo Weil has also had to make do without certain key players such as juniors Pamela Vranis and Kylie Fuller who have been sidelined with injuries. In response to this, Weil has shuffled his lineup so much that 17 different players have started for the Jays. Despite the lack of consistency in the lineup, the ability to mix and match the roster while still winning games speaks to the depth that the Blue Jays will need to utilize if they hope to make a push to win the Centennial Conference and go deep in the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Jays next contest will be against the Garnet of Swarthmore College at home on September 30th on historic Homewood Field with first whistle scheduled for noon. In the meantime the Jays will take the time to get healthy and prepare themselves to take the Centennial Conference head on. Because of the Blue Jays top 10 national ranking, recent Centennial Conference Championship history, and utter dominance of rival teams over the last few years they must be ready for each opponent’s best effort. Come out and support the Lady Jays as they hope to bounce back this weekend and get back to their winning ways against Swarthmore.

M. Soccer thwarted by Mules defense

It was a cold rainy evening last Saturday as Muhlenburg College (5-1-0) hosted the Blue Jays (3-4-0), concluding ‘Mule Week’ athletic competition between the two schools. The Jays’ high pressure approach wasn’t enough to stop the unwavering Muhlenburg offense, powered by senior All-American Cody Antonini. For Hopkins, sophomore keeper Nick Cerrone played a phenomenal game, notching a career high 13 saves, despite the 2-0 final result. Often, corner kick statistics are indicative of the possession and flow of the game. Such was the case as most of the first half play was limited to the Hopkins half. Right from the start, the Mules earned a corner in the 35th second, just one of ten to the Jay’s three overall. The game remained scoreless until the 37th minute when senior forward Danny Way of Muhlenburg tucked a header inside the far post from junior Chris Royer to put the Mules up 1-0 over Hopkins. As the rain increased to a downpour, Hopkins had a flurry of promising plays at the start of the second half. In recent games, the creative and daring play of sophomore midfielder Kotaro Mitsuhashi and Junior Danny Reategui has produced some exciting goals. Although Mitsuhashi managed to get a couple good looks at net and was a major contributor to the overall offensive effort that evening, Muhlenburg ended up outshooting Hopkins 25-6. Mitsuhashi commented on the loss Saturday evening, citing several issues that led to the result. “We were not used to their field, since most of us freshman [and] sophomores have never played on their field,” pointed out the Midfielder. When asked about the Jay’s offense, Mitsuhashi acknowledged the difference in the two halves saying, “In the first half of the game we relied too heavily on long balls... we changed it up in the second half to a more possession style play which created many more scoring chances.” Soon after the exciting opening moments of the second half, the play once more turned in favor of Muhlenburg. Keeper Nick Cerrone posted yet another solid effort, one that opposing teams have no doubt come to expect and fear. However, Muhlenburg kept Cerrone and the Hopkins defense at work the entire game, with Cerrone tallying four saves in one particular two minute span in the second half. The relentless Mule attack would convert once more in the 62nd minute with the elusive footwork and tactical finishing of the All-American Cody Antonini. Scoring unassisted, Antonini slid in behind the left flank and fired a supremely placed shot past Cerrone, despite the tight angle. With Saturday’s performance, Antonini has earned 90 points in his overall career. As the closing minutes of the game approached, a myriad of substitutions from the Hopkins bench could not break the Muhlenburg possession. The game ended with a solid 2-0 win over Hopkins, allowing Muhlenburg to clinch the uncontested first place position in the Centennial Conference. Hopkins, now 1-1 in conference play, will return to the pitch on familiar Homewood turf this Thursday against the Gettysburg Bullets. Gettysburg is also 3-4 overall, however only 0-2 in conference play.  Along with the consistent play of Cerrone, the Blue Jays’ offense will turn to the colorful play of Sophomore captain Rob Hueler, as well as Mitsuhashi and Reategui, to connect with Senior captian Nick White’s exceptional finishing. Hueler leads the team in assists with three so far this year while correspondingly, White’s three goals top the team scoring statistics. Also a player to keep an eye on is Forward Matt Carey, a quick and tenacious Sophomore, looking to increase his overall contribution to the Blue Jay offense this season. When asked about personal goals this year, Mitsuhashi had this to say, “...I’d like to score ten goals this season. I only have two goals right now so I’m a little behind but hopefully this Thursday I can start scoring again.” With the season hitting the halfway mark, the team is very motivated about their upcoming Gettysburg game. Says Mark Spencer, Sophomore Defender, “We know we’re better than our record shows and we’re looking to improve it.”

Lady Jays end skid with 2-0 shutout

The Hopkins field hockey team has had a determined season thus far, complete with a few hard losses, close games and big-time wins. After taking their first game 4-3 against Centre College, they went on to win two more, winning by at least three goals each game. However, they have also lost three games, putting their record at an even 3-3. Most recently, Hopkins travelled to Allentown, Pennsylvania to take on Muhlenburg College. This game held double the importance for the Lady Jays as it would not only serve as the deciding game between a winning and losing record but would also contribute to their record within the Centennial Conference. Fortunately for Hopkins, senior Elizabeth Peijnenburg took the net; knocking down all seven shots that came her way and helping the Jays make their way to a 2-0 shutout. Things got off slow for both sides, with the game remaining scoreless for the first seventeen minutes of play. But Peijnenburg wasn’t sitting idly. With the Mules delivering seven shots during the game, the Netherlands-native had plenty to keep her occupied. “Our very first shot on goal resulted in a goal, which is great. We definitely controlled most of the game, though not the first 10 minutes of the first half,” noted Peijnenburg. A few minutes into the latter part of the first half, things started to pick up when the Jays got a corner call in their favor, giving them an excellent scoring opportunity. Senior Liane Tellier took advantage sending the ball around the circle before knocking it in herself to put Hopkins up 1-0. Peijnenburg helped to keep the Jays on top, blocking four back-to-back shots in a little over eight minutes. “In the end Muhlenberg actually had one more shot on goal, they had 7, we had 6, but we used our chances and converted two of the six shots on goals,” she commented. Having played field hockey for far longer than most of her U.S. teammates, Peijnenberg explains that the challenge of being the last line of defense was what attracted her to the position of goalie. “At the beginning of 11th grade, I started off as a defender. Then, during the indoor season, my coach decided to put me in goal to see what the game was like. It is very different from regular outdoor hockey. It’s much faster and there are only 6 people on the field at a time. The field is also a lot smaller. I enjoyed the challenge of being the last defender and never left the cage.” In the second half, both teams continued to play aggressively with the Mules sending two shots at Peijnenburg within a minute of each other. However, both were blocked, giving the Jays more time to extend their lead. After firing off a series of shots to no avail, the Lady Jays capitalized on another corner when Tellier shot one into the circle, giving freshman Elena Gresick the chance to score, putting Hopkins up 2-0 and giving Gresick her first career goal. When asked about her interest in the sport, Peijnenburg pointed to her roots. “Field hockey is a much more popular sport in the Netherlands, where I grew up, than it is in the US. I started playing when I was six though switched to horse riding (show jumping) when I was ten. I picked up hockey again in eleventh grade and half way through the season decided to become a goalie.” While enjoying many other activities before coming to Hopkins and playing for the field hockey team, Peijnenburg says that the one thing in particular that draws her to the sport is its team aspect. Peijnenburg, like all members of the team, hopes to be able to take the team to the NCAA tournament, a feat that hasn’t happened since 2008. As for more personal goals, Peijnenburg plans to play hard and focus on the game at hand. “It would be great to end my hockey career at Hopkins by winning the Centennial conference.” Hopkins’ next game comes this Wednesday at Homewood Field against the Salisbury University Sea Gulls at 7 p.m.

Ground game drives football to 33-21 win

The Hopkins football team was ranked 16th in the first AFCA poll of the year, the 11th consecutive week they’ve been ranked nationally in Division III college football. They looked to maintain their stellar all-around play against the Muhlenberg College Mules this past Saturday and give the American Football Coaches Association reason to move them up in the rankings. Senior Johnathon Rigaud’s 56 yard touchdown run just two minutes into the game kick-started the Blue Jays as they rolled to a 33-21 victory over host Muhlenberg. The Jays led by only six, 20-14, late in the fourth quarter before JD Abbott iced the game with a pair of rushing touchdowns to secure Hopkins’ fourth victory of the season in as many games. The win extended Hopkins’ regular season winning streak to 18 games and their Centennial Conference winning streak to 16 games. The Blue Jays’ first possession needed just five plays to cover 83 yards, as Hopkins went up a quick 7-0 on the nations top scoring defense, who had only allowed seven points combined in their three previous games. The Mules responded well, taking 13 plays to trek 84 yards to tie it up at seven apiece with just over 10 minutes remaining in the quarter. The Jays’ defense held Muhlenberg scoreless for the remainder of the half, as junior Richie Carbone would tack on two field goals following drives of 63 and 54 yards, including an remarkable 42-yard boot, to put Hopkins up 13-7 at the break. In fact, Carbone was recently named CC Special Teams Player of the week. After stifling the Mules’ opening drive of the second half, the Jays upped their lead to 13 points following a 7-play, 80-yard drive that was capped off by a 35-yard bullet from junior Robbie Matey over the middle to junior Bob D’Orazio. D’Orazio snagged the ball just in front of a defender, dodged two potential tacklers, and out-raced the rest of the team for the score. Hopkins maintained the lead for five minutes before the Mules’ Tyler Dandridge ran from 13 yards out for the touchdown to cut the lead to six. Faced with their first close late quarter game of the 2012 season, the Jays showed their mental resolve with a statement of a drive, going 75 yards in 15 plays to push the lead back to double digits. A nine-yard JD Abbott touchdown plunge on the first play of the fourth quarter finished the march off and gave the Blue Jays some breathing room. The Jays missed the two-point conversion attempt and the lead stayed at 12 points, 26-14. The Mules attempted to answer and stay in the game on their next possession, but their drive was stymied at the Jays’ 45-yard line, and they were forced to punt. Pinned down at its own 16, Hopkins put together perhaps the most impressive drive of the game. Needing just six plays to reach the Mules’ 41-yard line, Matey went deep down the sideline. D’Orazio continued his spectacular performance as he stretched out for an acrobatic, diving catch to put the Jays down at the Mules’ 5-yard line. The pass went for 36 yards and put Hopkins in terrific position to essentially put the game on ice with little over seven minutes left. JD Abbott’s 3-yard score did just that with 6:45 remaining in the game, and the Jays went up 33-14. Muhlenberg’s John Hoghs would return a block punt 25 yards for a touchdown to make the score 33-21, but the touchdown served no purpose other than to change the final score, as Hopkins’ Brady Watts secured the subsequent on-side kick. The Blue Jays gained the necessary first down to run out the clock on their opponents to remain undefeated on the season and tally their third victory in four years against the Mules. Once again, Hopkins dominated on the ground, racking up 273 yards rushing, with Rigaud leading the way, running for a game-high 131 yards and a score, while Abbott chipped in with 98 yards and two TDs. Matey completed 70% of his passes for 207 yards and a score, with one pick. The Hopkins D held Muhlenberg to 315 yards, 100 yards below their season average, with junior strong safety John Arena accounting for a team-high eight tackles in the winning effort. Next on the Jays’ slate is Juniata College, as Hopkins hosts the Eagles for its third home game of the 2012 season at Homewood Field. Kickoff is at noon.

Women's soccer continues domination of CC

Under the guidance of Coach Leo Weil, the Hopkins women’s soccer team has had an incredibly good run since the program’s birth in 1992. In the last decade particularly, the Lady Jays have boasted at least 13 wins every season with two 19-win seasons and a record breaking 21-win season last fall. Off to a strong start thus far, the Lady Jays hold a 5-1-1 record and are currently maintaining a three game win streak. On Sept. 15, Hopkins garnered their fifth win with a home victory against Washington College. Sophomore Hannah Kronick not only helped sweep Washington 4-0 but also set a new Centennial Conference record for most goals in a single game. Hopkins jumped on Washington College early as Kronick, assisted by sophomore Alyssa Conti, blasted one past the Washington College goalie for the early lead. The Jays continued to play both strong defense and offense, surrendering no goals and firing sixteen shots in the first half alone. Maintaining a one-goal lead for the rest of the first half, Hopkins dominated the latter portion of the game, playing an aggressive offense while continuing to thwart the Shorewomen’s scoring efforts. A series of goals commenced in the 58th minute when Kronick knocked her second goal of the night into the net. She was assisted by a sharp pass from freshman Issy Berkey into the box after a short scramble in front of the net. Kronick then proceeded to score two more goals, the first coming off a pass from sophomore defender Amanda Masse. Kronick’s fourth goal of the night came less than a minute later when she headed a kick from Berkey past the Shorewomen’s goalie. With 19 goals last season, Kronick seems to aim to break that impressive stat. She has already racked up eight goals in a mere seven games. She also achieved the elusive title of Centenial Conference offensive player of the week and currently leads the conference with eight goals and two game-winning goals. Currently, Kronick is ranked ninth in Hopkins history for goals and 12th for points with 27 and 65 respectively. Hopkins, whose current Centennial Conference record is 1-0, ranks third in the conference after Haverford College and Gettysburg College, neither of whom Hopkins has played yet this year. The game against Washington was Hopkins’s first conference game of the year.  The Lady Jays will face Muhlenburg next. Hopkins, who won all of their conference games in 2011(and had a perfect regular season overall) swept Muhlenburg 3-0 but before that had not beat the mules since 2008. The Lady Jays will play in the regular season until October 27th when they play their last conference game against first-ranked Gettysburg. Championship play will start on Halloween and will continue into November. Stay tuned for the Lady Jays next conference game on Sept. 22 in Allentown, PA against Muhlenburg. The Mules are currently ranked last in the Centennial Conference with a conference record of 0-2 and an overall record of 2-5-1.

MLB dog days turn to October chase

Part I of his MLB Playoff Picture Outlook, Staff Writer Jared Frydman broke down the American League. This week in Part II, Jared takes a look at how the National League could shake out.

Records fall as Blue Jays win 17th straight

After outscoring their first two opponents by a combined score of 70-20, the Blue Jays continued their early season dominance with a resounding 49-15 victory over Moravian at Homewood Field. They racked up a season-high 582 yards of offense in the process and tied a NCAA Division III all-time record with 40 total first downs. Equally as impressive, head coach Jim Margraff crossed the 150 win threshold, becoming only the second head coach in Maryland collegiate history to do so (former Morgan State head coach Jon Hurt being the other, accumulating 154 wins from 1929-1959). With the victory, the Jays extended their regular season win streak to 17 straight games dating all the way back to 2010. Senior back Jonathon Rigaud starred for the Blue Jays, rushing for 114 yards and three scores to lead his team. The Blue Jays opened the game with a masterful 15-yard play, 77-yard drive, with junior quarterback Robbie Matey going six of seven, including a nine-yard scoring strike to fellow junior Daniel Wodicka. Rigaud gained 35 yards on the march, which took up nearly five minutes of the opening quarter. After Hopkins stopped Moravian, Rigaud capped off a five-yard play, 40-yard drive with a four yard touchdown run to put the Jays up 14-0 midway through the first quarter. The drive went quickly, taking up just over a minute and a half. Moravian’s Tyler Thompson then executed a beautifully placed 39-yard punt to pin the Jays deep in the shadow of their own goalpost at their own one yard line. Despite this setback, Hopkins would essentially ice the game with a devastating 15 play, 99-yard masterpiece that was finished off by a one-yard J.D. Abbott plunge to put the Jays up three touchdowns with just under seven minutes remaining in the first half. After a rare miscue in which Matey would be picked off by Moravian’s Travis King for a touchdown, Hopkins responded by closing out the half with a four play, 48-yard march that took less than 30 seconds and ended with a 13-yard Rigaud scoring run. Going into the half, Hopkins had piled up an astounding 387 total yards of offense, and led Moravian 28-7. After stifling any comeback attempt on Moravian’s opening drive of the second half, Jonathan Rigaud blew the game wide open with a one yard touchdown, capping a 45 yard drive to give the Jays a commanding four-touchdown lead. The Jays would punch it in twice more in the game, on drives of 45 and 77 yards, with Brandon Cherry and Jason Blades joining in on the scorefest with touchdowns of their own. Overall, the Jays racked up 338 yards on the ground and 244 yards through the air. Matey would complete 23 of 27 attempts for an incredibly accurate 85.2% clip, with sophomore Braden Anderson chipping in with 20 yards, going five for eight. Not to be outdone by the prolific output of the offense, the Jays imposing defense held Moravian to an anemic 18-yards rushing on 17 attempts, and just 171 yards passing on 37 attempts. Moravian’s only substantial drive of the day came during garbage time, late in the fourth quarter — until that point the Jays’ defense had shut out Moravian’s attack. Hopkins’s defense allowed only one third-down conversion attempt in 12 tries, a dominant performance. The Jays’ secondary picked off Moravian quarterback Jimmy Lahue twice, including crucial interceptions late in the first half and early in the second by freshman safety T.J. Reeves and senior safety Adam Dweyer respectively, that dealt huge blows to any comeback hopes Moravian might have had. Senior lineback Taylor Maciow led the team with seven tackles and recorded two of the Blue Jays three sacks on the afternoon. Hopkins’s defense has not yet allowed a 2012 opponent to cross the 200-yard mark offensively, and Hopkins’s front-seven has produced an impressive 14 sacks so far on the season. Hopkins faces its toughest test so far this season as it travels to Allentown, PA to take on Muhlenberg in a battle of unbeatens, as the Mules are also now 3-0 following a 33-0 blowout over McDaniel.

Jays suffer tough loss to #1 TCNJ

The Hopkins field hockey team entered Sunday’s matchup with top-ranked and undefeated College of Central New Jersey with a .500 record of 3-3. In this non-conference match at Homewood field, TCNJ rode a quick start to a resounding 5-1 victory. Early on in the game TCNJ’s Erin Healy scored back-to-back goals in two minutes to open the score for the Lions. Coming off a Lions corner, Erin Waller passed the ball to Healy, who one-timed the shot past senior Elizabeth Peijnenberg at 5:39. Shortly after Healy again scored off a rebound in front of the net at 7:58. After the game, junior midfielder Storm Kodde reflected on the Lions’ offensive attack, “From the get-go the Lions were incredibly aggressive. They stopped us in the midfield quite often, not even letting us get to our offensive circle. They executed on all their corners which was a huge advantage for them. Every time they entered the 25-yard line they were looking to score.” The Lions lead grew at the 26:10 mark as the visitors capitalized on yet another corner. Camille Passucci shot top left to beat Peijenberg pushing the lead to three. However, Hopkins would answer back at the 31:27 mark as senior Liane Tellier inserted the corner to Kodde at the top of the circle. Kodde settled the ball and riffled a shot past Roisin Dougherty to put the Jays on the board. Minutes before the end of the half, Hopkins had an opportunity to make it a one-goal game as senior Meghan Kellet earned a penalty stoke after being taken out from behind on a breakaway. Kellet would be denied, not by the goalie but by the post, as the Jays went into the locker room trailing 3-1. At the start of the half, TCNJ would add to its lead at 42:36 when Waller took the ball off a Passucci corner and blasted it into the net. Passucci then capped off the scoring herself with a score at 46:16 to ice the game at 5-1. TCNJ ended up with the dominant advantage in shots (24-7) and corners (14-6). In the Blue Jays cage, net-minder Peijnenburg finished with five saves in just over fifty-two minutes of action before being pulled for freshman Zoey Atabek who made three saves without surrendering a goal. For TCNJ, Dougherty finished with three saves and the win. In order to improve in upcoming games Kodde explained, “We really need to bring the intensity. Our skills are absolutely there and we can outrun many teams but it’s this third component [intensity] that will make our game click in our upcoming matches.” Stay tuned as the Blue Jays takes on Muhlenburg this Friday at 7 p.m. in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Currently, Hopkins ranks ninth in the Centennial Conference with a CC record of 0-1 and an overall record of 3-3. Muhlenberg currently holds fourth place in the Centennial with a 1-0 conference record and an overall record of 4-0.

Undefeated Blue Jays climb national ranks

The Hopkins volleyball team traveled to Pittsburgh this past weekend to compete in the Carnegie Mellon Invitational. The Blue Jays dominated the event, taking the title, and improving upon their perfect record which now stands at 12-0. The Blue Jays first squared off against John Carroll University on Friday evening. John Carroll proved to be no match for the Jays. The Blue Jays posted sixteen kills on thirty-seven attempts for a .351 attack percentage. Freshman Jasmine Warmington led the squad with thirteen of the sixteen kills. Fellow classmate Carolyn Zin led the team with sixteen assists. The Blue Jays were delighted to see such strong performances coming from their freshmen players. It is no doubt a challenge to come into a strong program like Hopkins’ and contribute right away, yet these two freshmen have done a tremendous job for the squad. Hopkins won in straight sets 3-0 and moved on to face host Carnegie Mellon in the night match. This match boasted the same story against a different team. Hopkins once again powered past Carnegie Mellon, winning straight sets 3-0. Senior Amelia Thomas led the Blue Jays with fifteen digs and Katie Schwarz had fourteen kills to lead the team to their second victory of the day. This set the Blue Jays up nicely going into the final matches of the tournament. Winning the opening two matches set the tone for the rest of the tournament and put the team in a favorable position to take the title going into the weekend. The Blue Jays were slated to take on Muskingum Saturday morning and proved to be just as dominant in the morning as they were the previous night. The Blue Jays did not win in straight sets this time. However, they would still come through with the victory. The Jays won the first set, but Muskingum took the second set 25-21. The Blue Jays kept their composure and came back to win the next two sets to take the match 3-1. Sophomore Anne Cohen notched twenty-four digs while teammates Mariel Metalios and Becky Paynter combined for 48 assists. After the morning win, the Jays faced Wooster in their toughest test to date. The Blue Jays found themselves in uncharted territory down late in the match 2-1. Hopkins was potentially looking at their first loss of the season. However, they were not about to let that happen. Freshman Jasmine Warmington once again stepped up and took charge in the Blue Jays’ comeback. She totaled twenty-one kills and five blocks to put the Jays back in contention. Fellow classmate Carolyn Zin also stepped up and posted career-high 36 assists. The team rallied and took the next two sets en route to a comeback 3-2 victory. This performance proved the tough character of the team — when they faced adversity they responded resoundingly. Senior co-captain Amelia Thomas explained the win. “It felt like a huge accomplishment for our team since we faced our toughest opponent so far in the title match,” the Baltimore-native said. Winning the Carnegie Mellon Invitational propelled the Jays to 12-0, but, says Thomas, the team is more proud of the national recognition they have received to begin the year. “12-0 is a great record but the thing we are most proud of is being nationally ranked 28th and increasing our votes for the top 25.” The Blue Jays will look to continue the undefeated start to their season this Thursday in Goldfarb Gym against Gallaudet.

Athlete of the Week: Hannah Kronick

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.

Newcomer Oneda shines for women runners

This past Saturday, the 26th ranked men’s cross country team participated in the Navy Invitational in Annapolis, MD. As the only Division III competitor, Hopkins took fourth place out of seven schools with 104 points, finishing ahead of neighboring schools UMBC and Loyola University. Navy finished on top winning the team title with thirty-four points. American University finished in second with Malone University taking third place. Navy and American got out to a fast start, but the Blue Jays were able to stay close to them, with the vast majority of the runners keeping a 4:55 pace on the first mile. Unfortunately, they slowed during the second mile and all but one Blue Jay fell behind. Standout junior Max Robinson finished ninth overall and first for the Blue Jays with a time of 25:22. Sophomore Austin Stecklair finished 16th overall with a time of 25:53. The top six for the Blue Jays was rounded out by senior Josh Baker, juniors Julian Saliani and Ryan Alvarez, and sophomore Andrew Ceruzzi who all finished within 17 seconds of each other. After cruising to an easy first place finish two weeks ago at the Baltimore Metro Invitational, this meet was a solid measuring stick for the Blue Jays to see where they stand at this point in the season. Hopkins’s next competition will be the famous Paul Short Invitational at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. in two weeks on Sept.28. The women’s team also competed this past saturday in the Salty Dog Invitational in Annapolis, Md. They took second place overall behind Navy and ahead of Division I programs from the University of Maryland, Loyola, George Washington University, and UMBC. The Blue Jays were headed by the freshman phenom, Hannah Oneda, who finished first overall in the 6K race with a time of 21:50. A testament of her recent dominance, this was her second first place finish in as many meets. Junior Holly Clarke stressed the importance of Oneda’s skill set, “We lost our top runner from last year, Hannah Eckstein, who transferred to Notre Dame. But, this year we’ve found her replacement, another Hannah (Oneda) who is just as fast as the old one.” Keeping pace with the front, Oneda fell behind two Navy runners in the second mile. Yet, she pulled ahead in the final mile and kept her pace going down the home stretch to take first place by two seconds. Hopkins was also headed by juniors Clarke and Lara Shegoski. Clarke and Shegoski kept pace at the front of the pack with Navy’s top three runners throughout the entire race. Clarke finished fourth overall with a time of 22:10 and Shegoski finished eighth with a time of 22:57. Hopkins was also led by senior Annie Monagle, who finished 12th overall with a personal record time of 23:05. As the national qualifier in the 800-meter outdoor event, Monagle used her experience to race a strong finish and pass Maryland and Loyola’s number two runners. Sophomore Ashley Murphy rounded out the top five for Hopkins with a finish time of 23:23. Sophomore Lindsey Sanborn and freshmen Sophia Meehan and Courtney Kelly had gritty performances as well. When questioned about the difference between last year’s team and this year’s team, Clarke responded, “Last year we thought we were a young team, but this year we’re even younger. Our depth has grown significantly with the talent of the new freshmen and sophomores.” Hopkins will compete in the Paul Short Invitational in two weeks against several top ranked Division I programs including Georgetown University, Villanova University, and the University of Tennessee. The teams are excited for the challenge. “I’m excited for Paul Short because we get to race the top Division I programs in the nation and it really puts into perspective how good our team is even though we’re Division III,” said Clarke. “I’m hoping we can contend with the Ivys, especially Brown and Harvard. “It’s also nice to see where we individually match up to these Division I runners. If Hannah and I work together I think we could easily place in the top 100. It’s a huge race, but our girls, as young as they are, know who to race with and how to race smartly. We placed 29th as a team last year and I’m looking for a top 20 finish this year.” Clarke’s ambition bodes well for a young team looking to climb the national D-III rankings. Currently sitting at sixth overall in the latest United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, Hopkins could jump if Clarke and the Blue Jays can deliver against difficult competition at the Paul Short Invitational

Water Polo off to strong 12-2 start

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.

Cerrone leads Jays over Haverford, 2-0

This past Sunday, the Blue Jays men’s soccer team welcomed Haverford College to Homewood Field for the opening game of the Centennial Conference. With a quick pair of second half strikes, the Blue Jays were able to dismantle Haverford’s defense, securing a 2-0 victory for the Jays. The win was a perfect way to start off the Conference season and helped the team improve to 3-2 on the season overall. In the first half of the match, neither team took control of the game. Both teams seemed to have equal scoring opportunities without being able to find the back of the net. Haverford had a strong attack force against the Blue Jays in the beginning of the game but were soon neutralized by a solid wall of defending from Hopkins defense and sophomore goaltender Nick Cerrone. With many chances wasted and no goals to show for hard work, the two teams went into halftime deadlocked at 0-0. However, the Jays opened up the second half with solid possessions and a good amount of scoring chances, putting the Haverford defense back on their heels. Finally, senior Nick White scored the first goal in the 60th minute in beautiful fashion for his team leading third goal of the season. The goal was made possible by crafty possession and a perfect cross from junior Danny Reategui who found White at the edge of the box for a header that snuck by far post to give Hopkins the 1-0 lead and the momentum. After withstanding a flurry of shots from the Haverford offense, the Jays struck again in the 73rd minute when freshman Josh Hong crashed the net for a rebound to put Hopkins up 2-0. Sophomore Kotaro Mitsuhashi made some excellent dribbles and kicked a hard initial shot towards the goal. The Haverford goalkeeper got his glove on the ball for a brilliant save, but Hong was left wide open to put away the rebound, giving Hopkins some breathing room to finish out the game. Hopkins’s defense played well and deservs high praise for limiting Haverford’s scoring chances. Haverford ended up firing more shots on goal with a slight 15-11 advantage but couldn’t get on the board. Cerrone finished with five saves on the day and his third shutout of the season after recently being named Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Week. His recent shutouts against St. Mary’s and now against Haverford certainly make him a worthy recipient of this award. He has been a wall in net and has kept Hopkins in games when it has mattered the most. His statistics in net are excellent: posting a .900 save percentage and a 0.58 goals against average with three shutouts over the first five games are impressive to say the least. Hopkins looks to build off of this recent surge of shutouts in games this coming week against York and Muhlenberg. The Jays have had a solid start to the season posting a 3-2 record. White and Mitsuhashi who lead the team in goals and points scored, have helped tremendously in securing key victories for Hopkins against Kean, St. Mary’s and Haverford. However, the team has also had to overcome tough losses, including an overtime defeat in the season opener against William Paterson and a double-overtime loss to Elizabethtown.

Field Hockey opens with OT split

A week and a half into the season, the Hopkins field hockey team has already hit the ground running, winning three of their first four games in impressive fashion. Looking to improve from last year’s season record of 10-8, the team has already shown skill, determination, and a “never give up” attitude,  leading to key victories. Hopkins bested Centre College 4-3 in overtime, Eastern Mennonite University 8-2 and most recently, Washington and Lee University 3-0.

Sophomores lead M. Soccer past St. Mary’s

Polo sweeps first tournament of new season

In the opening tournament of the 2012 water polo season, the Blue Jays went undefeated in all four matches of the Navy Labor Day Open on September 1 and 2.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Jasmine Warmington - Volleyball

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.