March 2, 2007

Games Notes in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

Sneak Peak: #11 Johns Hopkins visits #4 Princeton Saturday for its first road game of the season. The Blue Jays enter this afternoon's game with a 2-0 record, while today's game is the season-opener for the Tigers.

A Little Reminder: Johns Hopkins rallied from a 7-5 deficit for a 9-7 win over George Mason last Saturday at Homewood Field. Senior attacker Mary Key scored four goals and added two assists, including the 100th of her career, to lead the Blue Jays come-from-behind effort.

Key ignited a game-ending 4-0 run that covered the final 19 minutes as she scored the first and third goals in the decisive spree. After the Patriots took a 7-5 lead with 19:14 remaining in the game, Key needed just 29 seconds to draw the Blue Jays to within 7-6 as she scored from eight yards on a deceptive shot in traffic. Junior Kadie Stamper drew the Blue Jays even just over two minutes later when she beat her defender to the inside and eluded a late slide for her fourth goal of the season.

Both teams had chances to take a late lead but it was Key who struck after seven scoreless minutes to give Hopkins its first lead at 8-7 when tallied her fourth goal with 8:49 remaining. A free position goal by junior Lauren Schwarzmann less than a minute later gave the Blue Jays their only two-goal lead of the game and the Blue Jay defense made it stand for the final eight minutes. Sophomore Amelia Harris had five saves for the Blue Jays, who improved to 6-1 all-time in games played in the month of February.

Against the Tigers: The Blue Jays and the Tigers will meet for just the third time on Saturday in a series that is tied 1-1. Hopkins won last year's meeting 8-7, in the biggest upset in school history, as Princeton was ranked #3 in the nation at the time.

Senior Mary Key leads all current Blue Jays with 10 career points against the Tigers. In last year's meeting, she scored the game-winner on a behind-the-back shot. Fifth-year senior Sarah Walsh and junior Lauren Schwarzmann each have two points in two games against Princeton.

Against the Ivy League: The Blue Jays are 11-5 all-time against Ivy League teams. In its 32-year history, Hopkins has played six (Brown, Cornell, Harvard, Penn, Princeton and Yale) of the seven Ivy League teams. The Jays have never played the Dartmouth Big Green.

For Starters: On February 21, Hopkins played its earliest ever season opener, defeating George Washington 13-7 at Homewood. Three days later, Hopkins defeated George Mason 9-7 at Homewood. The Blue Jays are now 6-1 in Feburary games.

Home Opener: Hopkins opened the 2007 campaign at home on February 21 against George Washington. The Blue Jays defeated the Colonials 13-7 for their fourth consecutive home opener win. Hopkins is now 10-4 under head coach Janine Tucker in home openers.

Top-Freshmen: Hopkins enters the season with one of the most highly touted recruiting classes in the nation. Inside Lacrosse ranked the Jays Class of 2010, fifth. Freshmen attackmen Brett Bathras and Sam Schrum and defender Angela Hughes were all named "Players to Watch". In addition, freshman middie Kim Dubansky was named a "Blue Chip" recruit.

Bathras, Schrum, Dubansky and classmates Paige Ibello, Erin Russell and Angela Hughes made an immediate impact against George Washington, all getting their name in the box score in their first career game. Schrum ranks second on the team with five points and three assists. She is also tied for the team lead with five draw controls. Bathras and Dubansky are tied for third with one assist each.

All-Time Record: Hopkins, now in its 32nd season of women's lacrosse, enters today's game with an overall record of 308-179-4 (.631). Only 15 women's lacrosse programs, including seven Division I, have won 300 or more games. The Blue Jays made the move to the Division I level in 1999. Hopkins is 91-44 (.674) in eight-plus Division I seasons.

Home Sweet Home: The Blue Jays have enjoyed much success at Homewood Field, especially of late. Hopkins went 2-0 at home this seaon and is 25-6 (.806) dating back to April 25, 2003. Since moving to Division I in 1999, the Jays are 54-21 (.720) at home. In 31-plus seasons at Homewood, Hopkins posts a record of 173-76-2 (.693).

Preseason Pickings I: The Blue Jays were picked second in the 2007 ALC Preseason Poll as voted on by the league's coaches. Hopkins just edged out Penn State. Defending ALC and NCAA Champion Northwestern was picked #1.

Preseason Pickings II: Senior Mary Key and juniors Sarah Gallion, Lauren Schwarzmann and Kadie Stamper were named to the 2007 ALC Preseason Team as decided on by the league's coaches.

Inside Lacrosse also named two Blue Jays to its preseason All-America Team. Key was named first team, while Stamper was named to the second team.

Tewaaraton Trophy Nominee: Hopkins senior attacker Mary Key has been named to the 2007 Tewaaraton Preseason Watch List. A nominee the past two seasons, Key led the nation in scoring in 2005 and 2006. The list will be voted upon by coaches and narrowed as the season progresses, ultimately reaching a final list of 5 women who constitute the award's finalists.

Poll Position: Hopkins opens the season ranked #10 in the IWLCA and Inside Lacrosse Media preseason polls. The Blue Jays wre ninth in the Lacrosse Magazine preseason poll. Despite going 2-0 last week, Hopkins fell to #11 in the latest Inside Lacrosse Media poll.

Eight of Hopkins opponents opened the season ranked in the top-20 of the IWLCA preseason poll, including five who were ranked in the top-10.

500 and Counting: Johns Hopkins is just nine games shy of the 500th in program history. Only 11 programs in NCAA history (Division I and III) have played 500 or more games. Atleast nine programs, including Hopkins, will hit the 500-game mark this season.

150 and Counting: The Blue Jays win over Oregon on March 18, 2006 was the 150th career win for head coach Janine Tucker. Coach Tucker is just the 12th coach all-time to reach the 150-win plateau and just the sixth active coach with 150 wins. Tucker now posts a record of 158-60 (.725). Navy head coach Cindy Timchal is the all-time wins leader with 336.

Streaking: Senior Mary Key enters today's game with a 52-game point streak, the longest in Hopkins Division I history. The streak dates back to her first game in a Blue Jays uniform - February 29, 2004.

Two other Blue Jays enter today's game with a point streak - fifth-year senior Sarah Walsh and junior Kadie Stamper. Walsh carries a 10-game point streak during which she has scored 17 goals and tallied 19 assists. Stamper enters with a six-game streak, during which she has tallied 13 goals and one assist.

A Key to Our Success: Senior Mary Key has been instrumental in the Blue Jays success since she stepped foot on the Homewood campus. She has tallied a point in every game of her career and scored in all but two of those games. With 275 career points in just 52 games, Key is averaging 5.29 points per game for her career. So far this season, Key has tallied 13 points in just two games.

Hopkins is 37-13 when Key scores a goal. When she scores three or more goals, the Blue Jays are almost unbeatable at 30-4.

Player Notes of Interest in Full PDF Release.