BALTIMORE, Md. — The Division III No. 8-ranked Johns Hopkins University water polo team dropped a 15-13 decision to the visiting Midshipmen of the United States Naval Academy in the Blue Jays’ home opener.
Tied at two-all just 2:15 into the first. Navy scored back-to-back goals to go up 4-2 just two and a half minutes later. Hopkins’ junior Stephen Schmidt and sophomore Jayden Kunwar notched scores less than a minute apart to make it four-all game at the break.
The Mids opened the second with a 3-1 spurt to push out to a 7-5 lead midway through the quarter. The Blue Jays got goals from sophomore Emerson Sullivan and Kunwar just 30 seconds apart to knot the score at seven heading into halftime.
Navy scored the first three goals of the third quarter to go up 10-7 with 2:03 to play in the quarter. Senior Finn Banks and junior Nico Ivanov pulled Hopkins back within one with 45 ticks on the clock. But the Mids scored just 12 seconds later to take an 11-9 lead after three quarters of action.
Navy pushed its lead to three at the 6:27 mark but Hopkins answered with goals from Ivanov and junior John Murphy to make it a one-goal game with 3:58 to go. The Mids went back up by two, but Murphy answered with his second to make it a 13-12 game at the 2:22-mark. Navy countered with a pair of goals just 49 seconds apart to go up three. Freshman Chris Freese scored with 12 seconds to play to account for the 15-13 final.
Ivanov led the Blue Jays with seven points on two goals and five assists, while Kunwar scored a team-best four goals. Banks scored two goals and handed out two assists while Murphy also had two goals.
Junior Max Fleming made 10 saves and had a steal.
Banks moves into 11th place with 290 career points and is tied for 13th with 175 career goals.
Release courtesy Johns Hopkins University Athletics Communications
