Johns Hopkins Blue Jays beat the visiting Rutgers Scarlet Knights by a score of 9-7 to win their inaugural Big Ten contest. With the win, the Jays move 4-5 and overcome their first fourth quarter deficit of the season.
Rutgers would open the scoring at Homewood Field just twelve seconds after the opening face off. Jules Heningurg scored off an assist from senior face-off specialist Joe Nardella. An start that Rutgers wanted to have. John Crawley and Cody Radziewicz would answer to give Hopkins an early 2-1 lead.
Rutgers would answer to tie it again at 2 as Scott Bieda would answer at the 6:02 mark of the first quarter. The second quarter would belong to the Blue Jays. Midfielder Holden Cattoni would score, assisted by senior Wells Stanwick. Junior attackman Ryan Brown would score the next two goals, the second assisted again by Stanwick.
Rutgers would break the Hopkins second quarter run when Zack Sikora scored, assisted again by Joe Nardella. Ryan Brown would answer, completing his hat trick, giving the Jays a three-goal lead going into halftime.
The difference in the second half would be runs. Each time would own a quarter each, but the Blue Jays outlasted the visiting Scarlet Knights, taking the fourth quarter. Rutgers would score four consecutive goals, while shutting out the Jays offense in the third quarter.
The scoring started with Jeff George’s unassisted tally to bring the Knights within two. Connor Murphy and Christian Trasolini would score to tie the game at six. Rutgers last goal of the game would come at the 1:10 mark of the third quarter when Jules Heningurg scored.
Five minutes into the fourth quarter, Hopkins would finally end their drought. Freshmen midfielder Joel Tinney would find linemate Holden Cattoni, who put one past Rutger’s goalie Kris Alleyne. Ryan Brown would give Hopkins the lead again at the 7:12 when midfielder Connor Reed found him open. Wells Stanwick would finish the scoring on the day, adding an insurance goal with just under ninety seconds remaining.
Redshirt senior goalie Eric Schneider earned the win for the Blue Jays, finishing with 11 saves and 7 goals against. The Hopkins offense was lead by Brown’s four goals. A strong effort was put forth by Drew Kennedy, limiting the effectiveness Rutgers All American Face Off player Joe Nardella.
Rutgers was led by Jules Heningurg’s two-goal effort. In the loss, junior Kris Alleyne made 12 saves for the visiting Scarlet Knights.
With the win, Johns Hopkins is 1-0 in the newly established Big Ten Conference. Both teams await Big Ten opponents next week. Johns Hopkins will face Ohio State in Columbus, Rutgers will face Michigan.
