Nervous: Loyola Can't Solve Hopkins in Overtime
from press releases
BALTIMORE - After Loyola used a remarkable 3-0
rally in the waning minutes to force extra play, Johns Hopkins
midfielder Brian Christopher scored the game-winner with 3:35
remaining in double overtime to lift the sixth-ranked Blue Jays
over No. 13 Loyola, 11-10, on Saturday in front of 2,732 fans at
Homewood Field.
Loyola overcame a late 10-7 deficit by scoring three consecutive
goals over the final 3:49, including one by Shane Koppens with just
four tics left on the clock to force overtime. A goal by midfielder
Jimmy Daly trimmed the Hopkins advantage to 10-9 as he took a
Koppens feed and netted his shot high with just 23 seconds
remaining.
On the ensuing face-off, Hopkins controlled the draw. Taylor
Ebsary, though, forced a turnover and threw an outlet pass to P.T.
Ricci, who, standing deep in Hopkins territory, fired a 35-yard
pass to Koppens standing in front of the Hopkins net. Koppens
dodged left and sent in his shot to knot the teams at 10-10,
sending the large contingent of Loyola fans who made the short trip
down Charles Street into eruption.
Neither teams found the net in the first overtime. Loyola
goalkeeper Jake Hagelin made two huge saves over the final minute,
including one that bounced off his leg with 12 tics left to force
the double session.
Christopher, though, would net the game-winner just 1:25 into the
second overtime for his fourth goal of the afternoon, handing
Loyola (9-5) the loss in this regular-season finale and leaving its
tournament aspirations up in the air. With an 11-10 Massachusetts
overtime win over Rutgers, the Minutemen earned the ECAC automatic
berth over the Greyhounds by virtue of their 8-6 win over Loyola
earlier in the season.
"Obviously the committee has some challenges today, but if I have
to make our case, I would point to our schedule, which is ranked
third-hardest in the country," said Loyola Head Coach Charley
Toomey.
"You hate to rely on other teams to get you through, but our team
gave it everything out there today and I'm proud of our heart and
our hustle."
After the teams took a 7-7 tie into the fourth period, Hopkins
quickly struck with a goal by Kyle Wharton just seven seconds off
the opening face-off. Loyola threatened on its next few
possessions, but another goal by Wharton, his third of the game,
pushed the Blue Jay advantage to two, 9-7, with 8:54 remaining.
Then, a Josh Peck putaway made the advantage three, 10-7, with 6:47
remaining. Loyola kept knocking at the door though. A shot by
Collin Finnerty was blocked and a Chris Basler attempt was sent
just high at the six-minute mark. The Greyhounds finally broke
through with a Jake Willcox goal, as he drove from the left alley
and sent in a nice hip-shot, cutting the deficit to 10-8 less than
four minutes remaining.
The Willcox goal broke a 17 minute, 17 second scoring drought from
the Greyhounds dating back to a Finnerty goal with six minutes left
in the third period.
Loyola had eight different players score its 10 goals, with Koppens
and Willcox scoring two apiece. The Greyhounds outshot Hopkins
(9-4) 47-30, and won the groundball margin, 42-39.
"I thought that we controlled the ground and got a lot of shots
today, but I wish we would have had a little better selection and
challenged (Hopkins goalie Mike) Gvozden more," said Toomey.
Hopkins got on the board just 2:33 into the first period on
Wharton's first of the day off a failed clear attempt by
Loyola.
At the nine-minute mark, the Greyhounds evened it with an Eric
Lusby goal coming off a hidden-ball trick assisted by Basler. On
the ensuing face-off, Michael Atkinson won the draw and drove
upfield to find the net, putting Loyola up, 2-1. Atkinson started
in place of John Schiavone and won 6-of-7 draws in the first
period. He finished 14-of-26.
A goal by Hopkins's Mark Bryan evened the sides, but Loyola again
grabbed the upper-hand on a Willcox goal with 4:25 remaining.
Standing 20 yards out, Willcox took a feed from Koppens and fired a
frozen rope high into the net. With just eight tics left though,
Christopher scored to tie the teams at three apiece after the first
period.
Christopher's second goal lifted the Blue Jays to a 4-3 advantage,
but midfielder Chris Hurst, earning his first start of the season,
evened the sides with 7:17 remaining. Off a feed from Daly, Hurst
bounced in his shot past Gbozden.
The teams locked down defensively for the next five minutes before
Hopkins' Steven Boyle scored on an unassisted wraparound to claim
the 5-4 lead with 2:18 left. But Loyola had the equalizer just 36
seconds later. Off a Basler shot, Matt Langan found himself right
in front of the goal, scooped up the groundball and sent in his
shot high as the teams took a 5-5 tie into intermission.
The Greyhounds opened up the second period with a Koppens putaway
just 2:53 in as Cooper MacDonnell drew the double-team and found
Koppens in front of the frame for the easy putaway. Loyola would
take a 7-5 lead with 6:08 remaining. Off a failed clear attempt by
Hopkins' Matt Drenan from the right corner, Finnerty intercepted
the pass and scored into the open net.
Hopkins, though, would answer with two goals from Michael Kimmel
and Christopher to tie the teams at 7-7 going into the final
period.
Loyola must now wait until Sunday evening at 9 p.m. for the NCAA
Selection Show to see if it earns its third straight trip to the
NCAA Tournament. It will be broadcast live on ESPNU.
