June 29, 2007

Season Review Notebook in PDF Format
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The 2007 season marked another step forward for the Johns Hopkins women's lacrosse team. After a slow start to the season, the Blue Jays rallied to win six of their last nine games, including their first ever win in the NCAA Division I Tournament. The runner-up in the inaugural American Lacrosse Conference Tournament, Hopkins finished the season with a 12-8 record and an appearance in the NCAA Elite Eight.

Hopkins hosted George Washington on February 21, the earliest opening date in the Blue Jays' 32-year history. The #10 Blue Jays opened their season with a win for the fourth consecutive year, beating the Colonials 13-7 at Homewood Field. The attack contributed 15 of the team's 19 points on the day, led by senior Mary Key's seven points. Junior middie Kadie Stamper scored the first goal of the season, just 1:21 in to give the Blue Jays the early lead. Her goal was the first of five unanswered for Hopkins in the opening nine minutes. George Washington finally got on the board at 9:43 off a Kristina Harvey strike. A back-and-forth ensued as Hopkins took a 7-3 lead into the half. After two quick Colonial goals to start the second, freshman attacker Brett Bathras responded with her first career goal, igniting a 3-0 Hopkins run. Goals from Kristin Karcsh and Harvey made it a 10-7 game but that's as close as George Washington would get. Hopkins closed out the game with goals from junior middie Kirby Houck, Stamper and freshman attacker Sam Schrum. Sophomore goalie Amelia Harris earned the win for the Blue Jays, tying her career-high with 11 saves.

Three days later, #10 Hopkins defeated George Mason for the fourth consecutive season, winning 9-7 at Homewood. Key reached yet another milestone in her career, tallying the 100th assist in her career. The Blue Jays rallied from a 7-5 deficit in the final 19 minutes of the game, ignited by two goals from Key. Stamper's goal with just over 17 minutes to play, knotted the game at 7-7. Key gave Hopkins its first lead of the game at 8-7 with 8:49 remaining while junior middie Lauren Schwarzmann sealed the game with a free position goal less than a minute later. George Mason started the game off quickly, sprinting out to a 4-1 lead less than 15 minutes in to the game and led 5-3 at the half.

Despite opening the season with back-to-back wins, the Blue Jays dropped a spot in the polls to #11. Hopkins hit the road for its first real test of the season, facing #4 Princeton in the Tigers season opener at Class of '52 Stadium. A Holly McGarvie goal with 37 seconds left in overtime gave the Tigers an 11-10 win, avenging an 8-7 loss to the Blue Jays in 2006. The game was back-and-forth as neither team held more than a two-goal lead. Hopkins led 6-5 at the half on the strength of goals from four different Blue Jays. The Tigers struck first in the second half, tying the game at 6-6 before taking their first lead just 5:10 in off a Kathleen Miller goal. However, Schrum and senior attacker Alex Nolan need just 56 seconds to retake the lead for Hopkins at 8-7. Miller struck again for the Tigers, knotting the score at 8-8 and the back-and-forth ensued as Stamper and McGarvie each scored to force overtime.

Stamper gave Hopkins the lead just 17 seconds into the overtime after winning the draw and Princeton was unable to find the equalizer before the horn. Katie Lewis-Lamonica forced sudden victory overtime, scoring with just 23 seconds remaining to tie the game at 10 apiece. The Blue Jays had a shot to win it when Key was awarded a free position shot 18 seconds in, but back-up goalie Kaitlyn Perrelle made the save giving the ball to the Tigers. McGarvie then netted the gamewinner with 37 seconds remaining on the clock.

Just three days later, Mount St. Mary's visited Homewood to take on Hopkins. The Blue Jays rebounded from their disappointing overtime loss, cruising to an 18-5 win as nine Blue Jays scored on the day. Key led the way, breaking the school's all-time career points record with eight in the game. Hopkins jumped on top early, breezing out to a 6-0 lead in the first nine minutes of the game. Key, Bathras, Schwarzmann, Schrum, Nolan, Stamper, fifth-year senior Sarah Walsh, and senior middie Steph Janice all had multi-point days for Hopkins. Harris and freshman Lizzie O'Ferrall split time in goal, combining for two saves.

The Blue Jays remained at #11 in the polls as they traveled to Columbus to take on the undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes in their ALC opener. Houck scored a free position goal with just 12.8 seconds showing on the clock to give Hopkins its first ever win in Columbus. The win improved the Blue Jays to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the conference.

Keri Yourick put the Buckeyes on the board first but a goal from Schrum kick-started a run of four Blue Jays' goals in just 68 seconds. Amanda Shimp scored to cut the score to 4-2 with 13:26 to play in the half, but the Blue Jays came right back with goals from Schrum and Walsh. The back-and-forth continued throughout the game as the Buckeyes kept the game close. Hopkins led 14-11 after a Schrum goal with 7:56 to play in the game and the Blue Jays seemed to be in control. But a three-goal rally by Ohio State made it a 14-14 game with just 49.8 seconds on the clock. Ohio State gained possession on the draw, but a stick-check by Walsh gave possession back to Hopkins, setting up Houck's heroics. The Buckeyes would get one more shot though, as they controlled the ensuing draw and Shimp was awarded a free position shot with 0.9 seconds on the clock. She shot low and to the corner, but the ball ricocheted off the post as time expired. Schrum and Janice paced the Hopkins offense with four goals apiece and Harris finished with 10 saves in net for the Jays.

Things did not let up for the Blue Jays as #10 Georgetown and #4 Maryland were next on the schedule. Hopkins was unable to capitalize on the momentum from the Ohio State game, falling 16-13 to Georgetown three days later. Leading by just a goal with over 23 minutes to play in the game, the Hoyas scored six unanswered over the next 12 minutes to take a seemingly commanding 15-8 lead. Hopkins was not done yet, outscoring Georgetown 5-1 in the closing minutes but it was not enough.

A fast start by the #4 Terrapins was too much for the Blue Jays as Hopkins fell 22-15 to Maryland on a chilly night in College Park. The Terps jumped out to a 9-1 lead in the game's first 12 minutes and led 14-7 at the half. Hopkins came out stronger in the second half, notching eight goals, but the first half deficit proved to be too large.

Hopkins came out firing in its next game, dominating the Oregon Ducks 20-4 on a Saturday evening at Homewood. Key broke three school records in the win with a 13-point outing as the Blue Jays moved to 5-3 on the season. Seven different Blue Jays scored in the first half as Hopkins took a 14-1 lead into the break. The second half was highlighted by goals from freshman Danielle Ensley and sophomore Jess Buicko, the first of their careers. In addition to breaking records, Key notched her 200th career goal becoming just the seventh player in NCAA Division I history with 200 career goals and 100 career assists. In all, nine players scored and six had multi-point games for Hopkins in the win.

The Blue Jays ran into a hot team in their next outing, the #14 Penn Quakers. The Quakers entered the game with a 6-1 record, with their only loss coming to Northwestern. Penn jumped on Hopkins quick, scoring just 33 seconds in on a Chrissy Muller goal. Trailing 3-0, Key put Hopkins on the board finally with just over seven minutes to play in the half. But the Quakers were not done, scoring four goals in the final 4:20 of the half to take a 7-1 lead in the locker room. Penn's first-half run continued after the break, scoring four straight to start the second half. Hopkins offense got going in the final 13 minutes as the Jays put three on the board but fell 12-4 to the Quakers.

Hopkins ran into an even hotter team just four days later in #15 Denver. The Pioneers entered Homewood Field on a 10-game win streak, though that made no difference to the Blue Jays. In a game of runs, Hopkins jumped on top early, with a game-opening 6-0 run. Denver answered with a five-goal spurt to make it a 6-5 game. The Blue Jays had the final say of the half, scoring three straight to take a 9-5 lead into the half. The streaks continued in the second half, as Denver had an answer for every Hopkins run. The Blue Jays got the final say as they ended the Pioneers' win streak with a 15-13 win.

The #13 Blue Jays then had a week off to prepare for the #19 Vanderbilt Commodores and their first ALC game in nearly a month. Hopkins needed a late game rally to force overtime in Nashville, but fell 11-10 on Kendall Thrift's goal in the second overtime. Hopkins trailed 6-3 after the first half, but outscored Vanderbilt 7-4 in the second with Schwarzmann's goal at 2:27 tying the game at 10-10. The Jays scored what appeared to be the game-winner with just four seconds showing on the clock in regulation off a strike from Walsh. But after the Commodores called for a stick check, Walsh's goal was taken off the board. Vanderbilt escaped with the win when Thrift found the back of the Blue Jays net with 47 seconds remaining in the second overtime.

As disappointing as the overtime loss to the Commodores was, it proved to be the turning point in the Blue Jays season. Hopkins would go on to win six of its final nine games, wrapping up a 12-8 season. It all began when the UMBC Retrievers visited Homewood Field on April 11. Key and Schwarzmann combined for nine goals as seven different Blue Jays scored in a 15-9 win. In the game, Key tallied one assist to move her into second place all-time in NCAA DI history with 133 career assists. Also, Stamper controlled four draws to move into second place all-time in Hopkins history with 134 career draw controls.

Hopkins took a big step forward just three days later, notching one of the biggest wins in the program's history. The #16 Blue Jays were facing the #5 Virginia Cavaliers, who had won five of their last six games. Hopkins used a dominant first half to topple Virginia 12-9 at Homewood on ESPNU. Trailing 2-1 with 22:38 to play in the half, Nolan tied the game at 2-2 for the Blue Jays with her ninth of the season. Less than two minutes later, Walsh gave Hopkins its first lead of the game at 3-2 - a lead the Blue Jays would not relinquish. Hopkins outscored Virginia 5-2 to close out the half, taking an 8-4 lead into the locker room. The Cavaliers fought back in the second, but the Blue Jays held strong to take a 12-9 win.

The Blue Jays hit a snag the following week when the #1 Northwestern Wildcats visited Homewood. After a solid first half with goals from Schwarzmann, Key and Schrum, Hopkins trailed just 6-4 heading into the break. However, the Wildcats came out strong in the second, outscoring the Jays 6-1 to take a 12-5 win. Hopkins got back on track in its next outing, earning its first ever win over Penn State 17-10 at Homewood Field. The win secured the number three seed in the upcoming ALC Tournament for the Blue Jays, held at Homewood. Though the first half was tightly contested, Hopkins struck first and would never trail. With the game tied at 8-8 with 4:34 to play in the first, Schwarzmann and Key each found the twine in the closing minutes to give the Jays a 10-8 lead at the break. The second half was an offensive and defensive show for the Blue Jays as they outscored the Nittany Lions 7-2.

The #13 Blue Jays traveled across town to close out the regular season against the Towson Tigers. Seven different players scored, led by Schrum's four goals, in a 15-9 win over the Tigers. Though Hopkins trailed 2-1 early, a spurt of three goals in five minutes midway through the half gave the Blue Jays a lead they would not surrender. Britt Woodfield scored for the Tigers to make it a 7-6 game with 27 minutes to play in the game, but three goals by Schrum over the next nine minutes put the game out of reach. Harris made a career-high 15 saves in net for the Blue Jays for her sixth win of the season. In addition, Key broke the school all-time single-season record for points (105) and assists (47).

Later that week, #8 Hopkins avenged its regular season overtime loss to #10 Vanderbilt 12-10 in the semifinals of the inaugural ALC Tournament. The Blue Jays got on the board early when Key scored just 16 seconds in. Hopkins pushed out to an early 3-0 lead, with goals from Schwarzmann and Houck. The Blue Jays never trailed in the game, but had to hold off a furious late-game rally by the Commodores. Hopkins led 12-7 with 4:43 to play in the game, but Vanderbilt was not going away. The Commodores scored three goals in 42 seconds to make it a 12-10 game with 3:10 to play. After cutting the lead to two, Vanderbilt once again won the draw but Hopkins quickly forced a turnover to regain possession. The Blue Jays ran out the clock, setting up a rematch with the #1 seed Wildcats. Harris once again posted double-digit saves with 12 on the night.

There would be no redemption this time around for Hopkins as Northwestern pulled away early and claimed its third straight ALC Championship with a 22-6 win. The Wildcats opened the game with a 10-0 run and did not look back. The Blue Jays rallied midway through the game on the strength of a 5-0 run but it would not be enough. Nolan started the run, scoring her 11th of the season with just 2:03 to play in the first. The Blue Jays picked up where they left off in the first, with Houck, Nolan, Janice and Schrum all scoring in the opening five minutes to make it a 10-5 game. Northwestern responded by outscoring Hopkins 11-1 to close out the game. Key, Stamper and Walsh were all named to the ALC All-Tournament team.

The following day, Hopkins learned its NCAA fate. The Blue Jays earned the number seven seed and the right to host the Hofstra Pride in the first round at Homewood Field. However, due to Hopkins' impending commencement ceremonies in the stadium, the team had to travel to Long Island instead to face the Pride on their home field. Hopkins defeated a strong Hofstra team 12-8 for the Blue Jays first ever win as a Division I program in the NCAA Tournament. The Pride had the jump early, scoring three straight to open the game. Hopkins regrouped and scored six unanswered in a span of 12:41 to take a 6-3 lead. Hofstra tallied once more before the break, making it a 6-4 game at the half. The Pride came out strong to start the second half, scoring two quick to even the game at 6-6. It became a back-and-forth game, with the Pride answering each Blue Jay goal. With the game knotted at eight goals apiece, Hopkins took control, scoring the game's final four goals to earn the historic win. Walsh led the way with four goals for Hopkins, while Key became the second leading scorer in NCAA DI history with 381.

The Blue Jays advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals to face the second-seeded Duke Blue Devils in Durham, NC the following Saturday. The Blue Devils defeated the Blue Jays 12-7 on the strength of an 8-3 first half. Duke struck first off a goal from Allie Johnson but Schwarzmann answered for Hopkins at 8:53. The Devils then reeled off three straight to push out to a 4-1 lead. The Blue Jays called a timeout to regroup and got back-to-back tallies from Stamper and Houck to make it a one-goal game. Unfortunately for the Blue Jays, that's as close as they would get, as the Devils would score five straight to end the half. The second half was an even game, with four goals for each side, but the first half deficit proved to be too much for Hopkins.

The loss ended the careers of Meghan Crisafulli, Janice, Key, Cherie Michaud, Nolan, Emma Wallace and Walsh. The class finished their careers with a 47-23 record, the most wins by a class in the program's DI history. While Key left her mark on the NCAA DI record book. She finished second in career points (383) and assists (149).

Though the season was over, the honors rolled in for the Blue Jays. Key became the program's first ever finalist for both the Tewaaraton Trophy and the Lacrosse Honda Sports Award. She was also named the Attacker of the Year by the IWLCA, Inside Lacrosse and womenslacrosse.com. In addition, Key earned First Team All-America honors from all three organizations and was a First Team All-ALC selection for the fourth consecutive year. Schwarzmann earned First Team All-ALC honors as well as being named Second Team All-Mid Atlantic Region by the IWLCA. Also earning all-region and all-conference honors were Michaud and Stamper. After a solid rookie campaign, Schrum was named the ALC Rookie of the Year as well as being named to the womenslacrosse.com All-Rookie Team.