Lacrosse Falls to Johns Hopkins

Lacrosse Falls to Johns Hopkins

4/2/2006

BALTIMORE, Md. — The Vanderbilt women’s lacrosse team stormed out to an early advantage, but would eventually fall to the No. 3 Johns Hopkins Blue Jays, 11-8, Sunday at Homewood Field.

Hopkins tallied the first goal of the game at the 28:26 mark, but the Blue Jay lead would not last long. Less than three minutes later the Commodores would answer back on Jennifer Tapscott’s first of three goals on the game at the 25:47 mark. Margie Curran (2G, 2A) continued the scoring run with two goals of her own making it a 3-1 Vanderbilt lead.

At the 14:36 mark, off of a long-range pass from Nicole Pugno, Tapscott knocked in her second goal of the game making it a 4-1 Vanderbilt advantage against the No. 3 team in the nation.

Following a Hopkins time out, the Blue Jays would go on a scoring run of their own with four uanswered goals, giving them a 5-4 advantage over the Commodores with 3:26 remaining in the half.

Tapscott again answered, knocking in her 3rd goal of the game with 2:52 left in the half.

After back-to-back saves from Vanderbilt goalkeeper Brooke Shinaberry, the Blue Jays’ Steph Janice knocked in a loose rebound just before the first half horn, giving the Jays a 6-5 halftime advantage.

The Commodores would strike back in a hurry in the second half, when Kendall Thrift tickled the twine for her 18th goal of the season at the 29:10 mark, knotting the score at 6-6.

Both teams would trade goals again before the Blue Jays would go on another scoring run, in which they tallied four straight goals, giving them an 11-7 advantage, and an eventual Commodore defeat. 

Other goal scorers for the Commodores included Kate Hickman and Cara Giordano.

Sasha Cielak picked up four groundballs and a caused turnover on the day, as well as holding Blue Jay standout Mary Key to just a one goal and two assists. “It may be a secret to the rest of the nation,” VU Head Coach Cathy Swezey said. “But Sasha is one of the best defenders in the country.”

Brooke Shinaberry was also impressive, picking up 12 saves on the day.

The game was not only high scoring, but also physical, as the two teams combined for 55 fouls in the game.

The Commodores will hit the road once again against the No. 5 North Carolina Tar Heels on Friday, April 7 at 7 p.m. ET.