After claiming their seventh consecutive Centennial Conference Championship, the Hopkins women's soccer team played host to the first two rounds of the NCAA Division III tournament this past weekend. The Blue Jays welcomed Cabrini College, Eastern Connecticut State University (ECSU), and Springfield College to the friendly confines of historic Homewood Field for three "win-or-go-home" soccer games.
The first match-up of the weekend pinned the Blue Jays against the Cavaliers of ECSU, a game in which the outcome resembled that of the majority of JHU's matches this season: utter dominance.
The Lady Jays started slowly, held scoreless until the 42nd minute on a beautiful shot by junior defender Taylor Schulte. From then on, it was all Hopkins. Not even two minutes later, senior midfielder and captain Erica Suter—the Lady Jays' all-time leader in goals, assists, and points—netted what would eventually be the game winner on a header from senior forward Paulina Goodman's corner kick. The goal marked Goodman's second assist of the game.
"Paulina [Goodman]'s corner kick was a driven ball, so all I had to do was flick it towards the net," Suter said of her team-leading 19th goal. "I just made sure I was in good enough position to get in front of my defender and win the ball."
The Lady Jays then sprinted out to a 6-1 lead, including a span when sophomore midfielder Pamela Vranis scored two goals in four minutes, to coast to their 20th win of the season. The six scores marked the most goals ever notched by Hopkins in an NCAA tournament game.
In the match, Hopkins tallied 41 shots to just four by the Cavaliers who had zero in the first half. If not for superb play by ECSU senior keeper Theresa Pagnozzi, the game might not have been nearly as close.
Unable to afford the opportunity to rest on their laurels, the Lady Jays were back on the Homewood Field turf less than 24 hours later for their second round match-up against the Pride of Springfield. A day earlier, Springfield had defeated Cabrini, 2-0.
The Pride, ranked 24th in the nation, was again little challenge for fourth-ranked Hopkins who went on to a 4-1 win, extending their undefeated season to 21-0.
Setting records has become fashionable this fall for the Lady Jays, as Goodman netted the first ever hat trick by a women's soccer player in Hopkins' NCAA tournament. Goodman received major help from freshman star forward Hannah Kronick, who chipped in a goal to go along with two gorgeous assists.
"Springfield really let us play up the middle, and we saw it and capitalized," Goodman said. "We just have so many people up front who can score and shake it up that they couldn't stop us."
Not to be outdone, the Blue Jays' defense continued their incredible
stinginess, allowing just two meaningless goals to two potent offenses in 180 minutes of play.
The defense is led by senior Jessica Hnatiuk, Schulte, and their platoon of goal keepers in senior Kristen Redsun and junior Meredith Maguire, each of which started a game this past weekend. The defense has allowed nine goals through the first 21 games of the season, including 14 shutouts.
Up next for the Lady Jays is another weekend of exciting NCAA tournament soccer as they travel to Grantham, PA and Messiah College to play a Sweet 16 round game against Amherst College. If Hopkins can topple the eighth-ranked and undefeated Lord Jeffs, number-one Messiah, the 2010 national runners-up, could be waiting in the wings for a third straight Elite Eight rematch, a game which the Falcons have won the previous two years.
Though it is tempting to look forward to a match-up with Messiah which would take center stage in the DIII women's soccer world, the Jays know they need to focus on Amherst first and foremost.
"Of course playing Messiah is in the back of our minds, but our team's focus is solely on Saturday's game against Amherst," Suter said.
Goodman shares Suter's sentiments, acknowledging that Amherst is a very worthy opponent.
"Amherst is also undefeated," the Van Nuys, CA ntive said. "I know we are up to giving them their first loss."
Heading into the Sweet 16, the Jays and Lord Jeffs have a combined 40-0-0 record.
If anything can be said about this Lady Blue Jay soccer team this year, it's that they have proven that they can do just about anything they set their minds to. Be sure to follow these Jays as they continue their magical run in hopes of a National Championship.
