STATEN ISLAND, N.Y./PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — Division III No. 9-ranked Johns Hopkins University went down the East Coast from New York to Philadlephia and back home to Baltimore as the Blue Jays were trumped at Wagner College, 20-13, before knocking out La Salle University, 24-14, in a Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC)-East Region split site doubleheader.
Hopkins opened the day at Wagner, falling to the Seahawks on their Senior Day.
The game was close early with Wagner leading 4-3 after the first quarter.
The Seahawks came out firing in the second however, scoring five unanswered to push out to a 9-3 lead with 3:31 to go in the quarter. The Blue Jays halted the run with back-to-back goals by Olin Shipstead and Finn Banks to pull back within four. The teams traded goals in the final 84 seconds of the half and Wagner led 11-6 at the break.
Wagner picked up right where it left off, outscoring Hopkins, 3-1, in the first four minutes of the third to take a 14-8 lead. Jayden Kunwar converted a five-meter goal at the 3:36-mark to cut the deficit to five, but that’s as close as the Blue Jays would get for the remainder of the game.
Kunwar led the Blue Jays with five goals, three ejections drawn and two steals versus Wagner. Jake Pearson handed out a team-best three assists to go with one score, while Banks had a goal, two assists and two ejections drawn. Stephen Schmidt totaled three drawn ejections, one steal, one block and two helpers.
JHU rebounded in the nightcap, scoring a season-best 24 goals against La Salle on the Explorers’ Senior Day.
Like the morning’s contest, it was close early as La Salle led 5-4 after the first quarter. The Blue Jays found their offense in the second, scoring six straight to go up 10-5 with 2:36 to play in the half. The Explorers ended the run with a goal at 1:44, but the Jays answered with two more to take a 12-6 lead into the half.
The halftime break didn’t slow down Hopkins as it outscored La Salle, 10-2, in the third to take a 22-8 lead into the fourth quarter. The Explorers turned the tables a bit in the final period, outscoring the Jays 6-2 to account for the 24-14 final.
The 24 goals are the most by the Blue Jays since a 24-5 win over the Explorers on October 26, 2018.
Banks erupted for a career-best and school-record-tying 10 goals, while also handing out a pair of assists and grabbing a pair of steals at La Salle. He now ranks 15th in school history in career goals (161), eighth in assists (106) and 13th in points (267).
Kunwar added five goals and an assist. John Murphy handed out four assists to go with two goals and two steals, while sophomore Jacob Whitaker tallied three assists, two goals and two steals. Max Fleming made a career-best 14 saves in the win.
Murphy moved into 18th place in JHU history with 49 career assists and also notched the 100th point of his career.
Information courtesy Johns Hopkins University Athletics Communications
