LEWISBURG, Pa. — The Division III No. 10-ranked Johns Hopkins University water polo team split its matches on the second day of the Bucknell University Invitational by falling to No. 14 George Washington University, 16-7, before beating Mercyhurst University, 16-11.
After trading goals in the opening 100 seconds, George Washington went on a 7-1 run to jump out to a 7-2 lead on Hopkins. Sophomore Jayden Kunwar scored a man-up goal with 21 seconds remaining in the first to make it a 7-3 game at the break.
The Colonials scored the first two goals of the second to push their lead to 9-3, but the Blue Jays answered with goals from Kunwar and sophomore Jacob Whitaker.
Leading by five coming out of the half, GW outscored JHU, 4-1, to take a 14-6 lead after three quarters. Hopkins struck first in the fourth with a goal from junior Olin Shipstead, but George Washington responded with a pair to grab the 16-7 win.
Against the Colonials, Kunwar led the Blue Jays with three goals, four points and two steals while sophomore Jake Pearson had three ejections drawn, three steals and a block. Whitaker, Shipstead and junior John Murphy each tallied two points (one goal, one assist) with Murphy adding two drawn ejections and two steals.
Hopkins closed out the weekend against Mercyhurst. The Blue Jays scored the first three goals of the game and outscored the Lakers 6-1 over the opening 11 and a half minutes. Back-to-back goals pulled Mercyhurst within three with 1:41 to play in the second. But the Blue Jays got goals from senior Finn Banks and Whitaker to go into the half with an 8-3 lead.
The five-goal cushion of the first half proved critical as the second half was more closely contested. Both teams scored eight goals over the final two quarters, though the Blue Jays’ lead never dipped below four goals.
Kunwar and Banks each turned in six-point outings in the nightcap. Murphy handed out a career-best four assists while blocking three shots. Freshman Chris Freese added two goals, three drawn ejections and a steal. Junior Max Fleming made nine saves while handing out an assist and swiping a steal.
Hopkins falls to 53-31 all-time against George Washington as the Colonials win their sixth straight in the series. Hopkins is now 10-3 against Mercyhurst and has won five straight.
Banks needs one assist to become just the 10th player in program history to reach 100 career assists.
Release courtesy Johns Hopkins University Athletics Communications
