Hopkins Clamps Down on Florida 16-8

from press release

Brianna Cronin scored three goals and helped the Hopkins defense shut down Florida 16-8 in an American Lacrosse Conference game. © John Strohsacker/LaxPhotos.com

BALTIMORE - Sophomore Candace Rossi (Farmingdale, NY/Farmingdale) scored five goals and three other players had hat tricks as Johns Hopkins defeated Florida, 16-8, in American Lacrosse Conference action at a rain-soaked Homewood Field Saturday afternoon. The game was the ALC opener for both teams and the first-ever meeting between the Blue Jays (4-3, 1-0 ALC) and the Gators (3-3, 0-1 ALC).

It was back-and-forth early, as the teams traded goals in the opening four minutes, before the Gators strung together back-to-back goals from Colby Rhea and Ashley Bruns to take a 3-2 lead. Hopkins answered with a pair of back-to-back goals from sophomore Colleen McCaffrey (Mount Sinai, NY/Mount Sinai) and Rossi to swing the lead in the Blue Jays' favor, 4-3. McCaffrey scored on a free position goal, before Rossi cut across the arc and scored on a shot over the right shoulder of Cara Canington.

More than seven minutes later, Brittany Dashiell scored the first of her two on the day to knot the game at 4-4 with 9:03 to play. Junior Brianna Cronin (Arlington, MA/Arlington) gave the Blue Jays a two-goal cushion, scoring back-to-back goals less than two minutes apart. Kitty Cullen cut the deficit back to one just 74 seconds later on a free position goal. Senior Sam Schrum (Pasadena, MD/St. Mary's) answered with a free position goal of her own with 44 seconds on clock to give Hopkins a 7-5 lead heading into the break.

Just 62 seconds into the second half, Schrum dodged across the top of the arc and fired a hard shot inside the left post to make it a three-goal game at 8-5. Fifty-one seconds later, the lead was back to two off a Cullen goal. Cullen dodged the right alley and fired a low shot on the Hopkins' cage. Freshman Cosette Larash (Crownsville, MD/Archbishop Spalding) got a piece of it, but the ball had enough momentum to carry across the line. The fast pace continued as senior Paige Ibello (Cockeysville, MD/Maryvale Prep) potted a free position shot 12 seconds later to give Hopkins a 9-6 lead and ignite a 7-1 Blue Jay run.

Rossi then sandwiched a pair around a strike from Dashiell and the Blue Jays led 11-7 with 20:02 still to play. Cronin completed her hat trick 20 seconds later, going coast-to-coast on a clear before McCaffrey sandwiched a pair around a Rossi strike. Cullen ended the run for the Blue Jays and completed her hat trick with 4:33 to play and make it a 15-8 game. Junior Brooke Foussadier (Turnersville, NJ/Washington Township) closed out the scoring, scooping up a ground ball after a Canington save, and firing it home to account for the 16-8 final.

Rossi led all scorers with six points on five goals and one assist, her fourth career five-goal game. Cronin, Schrum and McCaffrey also notched hat tricks for the Blue Jays. Freshman Courtney Schweizer (Wilmington, DE/St. Mark's) tallied her first career assist in the win. Larash finished with five saves in the win. Cullen (3g), Rhea (2g, 1a) and Bruns (1g, 2a) all led the Gators with three points apiece. Canington posted eight saves, including five in the second half, for Florida.

Hopkins returns to action on Wednesday, March 17 as the Blue Jays travel to Washington, DC to take on George Washington. It's the Blue Jays first road game in three weeks. Opening draw is slated for 4:00 pm from Mount Vernon Athletic Complex.