BALTIMORE, Md. – The #20 ranked Shenandoah University field hockey team kicked off the 2024 season with a battle with #2 Johns Hopkins. The Blue Jays (1-0) came away victorious over the Hornets (0-1) by a final score of 3-1. This is the second year in a row that Shenandoah has opened up with Hopkins for opening weekend, with the Hornets also falling 3-1 last season. Down 1-0 in the second, the Hornets got their lone goal from
Cassidy Morrison to tie the game right before the half.
Mairead McKibbin was credited with the assist after the Hornets earned back-to-back penalty corners. Hopkins showed why they are a top-ranked team in the country holding the Hornets to only four shots for the contest.
Taylor Swann got the start for the Hornets and made seven saves, but two late goals in the fourth for the Blue Jays sealed the victory.
How It Happened:
Both midfields were on display as shots were at a premium. Shenandoah handled the early attack of Hopkins as the first Blue Jay shot sailed wide of the goal, but Hopkins capitalized on a long ball that bounced off of Swann and the Blue Jays put the rebound in to take a 1-0 lead in the first period. Shenandoah's offense took time to get going, but Claudia Lenhan fired the first shot for the Hornets that was saved 10 minutes into the period. That was the only shot the Hornets took as they trailed 1-0 heading to the second.
In the second, as the Hopkins offense started to ramp up, the Hornets weathered the storm. Johns Hopkins earned five corners and five shots, but Swann made two saves and the defense blocked three shots to keep the score 1-0. After earning back-to-back corners,
Madison Short sent the corner to the top of the circle to a waiting
Camryn DeLeva, who fired the ball in where
Mairead McKibbin redirected the ball to
Cassidy Morrison and the game was tied at 1-1 going into the break.
Taylor Swann made two more saves in the third but the Hornets did not get a shot off in the period. In the fourth, the Blue Jays scored twice in a two minute span. The Hornets earned three corners in the period and got shots from DeLeva and Lenahan, but the Hornets were not able to answer the Hopkins' goals and ultimately fell 3-1 in the season opener.
Up Next:
The Hornets return home for their home opener on Sunday when the Shenandoah will take on DePauw inside Aikens Stadium at noon.
#GoSUHornets
