Nov. 5, 2006

Box Score

BALTIMORE, MD - Freshmen Nick Kosik (Emmaus, PA/Emmaus) and Max Venker (Oldsmar, FL/Palm Harbor University) provided the goals and senior goalie Danny Coble (Fremont, CA/Bellarmine College Prep) made two saves to lead the Johns Hopkins men's soccer team to its third Centennial Conference Tournament Championship. #13 Johns Hopkins (17-1-2) defeated #19 Franklin & Marshall (13-3-3) 2-1 in overtime on Sunday night at Homewood Field.

Kosik put Hopkins on the board in the 73rd minute, giving the top-seeded Blue Jays the lead. Senior Trip Neil (Dallas, TX/St. Mark's School of Texas) dribbled down the right touchline and centered the ball into the Diplomats' penalty box. Junior Ben McAbee (Hagerstown, MD/North Hagerstown) settled the ball on the far endline and touched the ball back in front of the goal. Kosik stepped to the ball and fired a shot low to the far post past the outstretched hands of F&M goalie Ed Stelz.

The Diplomats battled back and tied the game at 1-1 in the 81st minute. Ryan McGonigle crossed the ball into the box from the far touchline where Brandon Corday headed the ball into the upper left corner. The teams battled back and forth for the rest of regulation, but neither was able to find the net again.

Venker found the back of the net in the 97th minute sending his teammates rushing onto the field as they celebrated third tournament title. Venker fired a shot off a loose ball in the box but it was blocked by a Diplomats' defender. The ball ricocheted back to Venker, who then fired a shot low to the left post the eluded Stelz igniting the celebration.

Hopkins has won seven regular season Centennial Conference titles and three tournament titles (2002, 2004, 2006). As the conference tournament champion, Hopkins gets the automatic qualifier and will advance to the NCAA Tournament for the 10th time and eighth time under head coach Matt Smith. The bracket will be announced on www.NCAASports.com on Monday morning.