Sept. 16, 2006

Box Score

BALTIMORE, MD - Freshman forward Nick Kosik (Emmaus, PA/Emmaus High) scored two goals and senior goalie Danny Coble (Fremont, CA/Bellarmine College Prep) made five saves as the Johns Hopkins men's soccer team (6-1-0, 1-0-0) shutout #12 Muhlenberg 2-0 at Homewood Field. Muhlenberg (3-1-0, 0-1-0) had not surrendered a goal yet this season prior to today's game. In this series, the home team has won seven of the last eight meetings. In 2004, the two teams tied at Homewood, but Hopkins advanced on penalty kicks in the semifinals of the Centennial Conference Tournament.

The game was back and forth for the first half, with each team failing to score on numerous opportunities. But in the 41st minute, Kosik struck for the Blue Jays to give the home team a 1-0 lead to head into the half. Junior co-captain Ben McAbee (Hagerstown, MD/North Hagerstown) touched the ball to Kosik on his right, who ripped a shot from about 15 yards out that found the upper right corner.

Kosik would score again in the 73rd minute to give Hopkins a two-goal cushion. Sophomore Nicholas Gauna (Evanston, IL/Evantson) one touched the ball to a streaking Kosik in the middle of the field. He outran his defender and shot the ball just inside the far right post. Less than a minute later, the Mules had a chance to cut the Jays' lead to one when Mike Gehrmann ripped a hard shot from about 10 yards out. Coble dove to his right and got one hand out to knock the ball down. His defense then stepped up and cleared the ball out of danger.

The shutout was Coble's third of the season and the 11th of his career. Muhlenberg's Peter Bennett finished with five saves in the loss. Muhlenberg had held its opponents scoreless for the last 270:00 minutes and had not been shutout since September 28, 2005 - a 3-0 loss to Franklin & Marshall. Hopkins returns to action on Monday, September 18 against Keystone College. Game time at Homewood Field is set for 7:00 p.m.