Men's team will face off against the best in the nation
| |
|
Coming off last year's runner-up finish in the NCAA Finals, the Blue Jays will certainly be battle tested come playoff time this spring. With 10 ranked teams on the schedule this year, Hopkins will have to stay sharp game in and game out to retain its number one ranking.
Highlighting what is considered to be the most difficult schedule in Division I lacrosse, the Jays will battle UVa, Maryland, Princeton, and Syracuse -- all of which are ranked in the preseason top five.
Here's a quick look at the Blue Jays' 2004 opponents:
Feb. 28 Penn., 1 p.m.
Junior attackman Kyle Barrie exploded for five goals against the Quakers last year in the Jays' convincing 14-5 win. Rather than opening up with a powerhouse like Princeton, the home opener against UPenn will provide much less significance and excitement than last season.
March 6 Princeton, 1 p.m.
Ranked fifth in the preseason, the Hopkins/Princeton rivalry is quickly becoming one of the fiercest in college lacrosse. After building an 8-3 halftime lead in last year's matchup, the Jays held off a late Tigers' run for a 10-8 win. The main cog in the Tigers' offense will be junior Jason Doneger -- younger brother of Hopkins' recently graduated star midfielder Adam Doneger -- who was tied for third in the nation in goals scored a year ago.
March 9 Albany, 3 p.m.
Hopkins had no trouble with Albany last season, winning by a score of 16-7. This year should be no different. Junior attackman Peter Lesueur had one of his breakout games against the Great Danes, racking up three goals and two assists. If all goes well, this game should provide Hopkins with an opportunity to play a lot of different people, while preparing for the meat of its schedule. The Jays will battle six consecutive ranked teams after their matchup with Albany.
March 13 at Hofstra, 1:30 p.m.
Located right in the heart of lacrosse's other hotbed of talent (Long Island), Hofstra is ranked No. 15 in this year's preseason poll. The Pride nearly pulled off a huge upset two years ago, falling to the Jays by a score of 9-8. Trailing by one with the clock winding down, the Jays scored two goals in the last two minutes to escape Hempstead with a "W'.
Other than the 9-7 loss to UVA in the NCAA Championships, the only other blemish on Hopkins' record last season was a 15-14 loss to the Orangemen in March. The Jays got their revenge, however, running away with a 19-8 victory over Syracuse in the NCAA Semifinals. Senior attackman Michael Powell is one of the most dynamic scorers in the nation; he amassed four goals and four assists in the Syracuse win over Hopkins but was limited to just two assists in the playoff loss.
March 27 at Virginia, 7:30 p.m.
The reigning NCAA champion Cavaliers are ranked second to the Blue Jays by Lacrosse Magazine. After losing by a score of 8-7 at Homewood Field during the regular season, UVa upended the Blue Jays in Finals behind the sterling play of rising senior goalie Tillman Johnson. The junior tandem of Joe Yevoli and John Christmas will be one of the most dynamic in the nation, and a focal point for the Jays' defense. Virginia will have the advantage of hosting the Blue Jays this year.
April 3 North Carolina, 1 p.m.
Former Hopkins' head coach John Haus -- a Tar Heel player in his college days -- took the job at UNC four years ago. One of the up-and-coming programs in the nation, UNC has the potential ability to upset any team in the country. Preseason First Team All-American Ronnie Staines is the leader of this young squad.
April 10 at Duke, 1 p.m.
Junior transfer Matt Rewkowski, an Honorable Mention All-America selection and the leading scorer at Duke in '03, has no doubt circled this game on his schedule already. Ranked No. 12 in the preseason poll, it's puzzling why the Blue Devils haven't become a top four team because of strong recruiting classes in recent years. One thing is for sure, the defection of Rewkowski hurts them severely.
April 17 Maryland, 8 p.m.
If the 100th installment of the Hopkins vs. Maryland rivalry is anything like last year's action-packed 6-5 overtime Blue Jay win, the fans are in for something special. Senior Joe McDermott put home the game winner in College Park -- the first of a handful of key goals scored down the stretch by the attackman. Maryland, which advanced to the quarterfinals last year, is ranked third in the preseason poll.
April 24 at Navy, 12 p.m.
Though the Midshipmen have traditionally played well against Hopkins, the Jays cruised to a 17-3 win over Navy last spring. Seven different Hopkins players registered at least one tally, with Barrie scoring five goals to go along with four assists. On paper, Hopkins is the favorite, but Navy plays a disciplined, hard-nosed brand of lacrosse and always has the potential to keep it close and will have home-field advantage this year. Navy is ranked No. 14 in the preseason poll.
May 1 Towson, 3 p.m.
Hopkins faced Towson twice last year, winning 17-9 in the regular season and 14-6 in the NCAA Quarterfinals. Four-year starter and co-captain Drew Pfarr will be one of the Tigers' main offensive weapons this spring. The Tigers utilize a balanced attack and had nine different players score a goal apiece in the regular season loss to the Jays.
May 8 Loyola, 1 p.m.
Unable to play the role of spoiler at Hopkins' homecoming last season, Loyola comes into 2004 ranked No. 19 in the preseason Lacrosse Magazine poll. Senior Stephen Brundage returns for one more year at Loyola, having led his team in scoring for the past two seasons. Brundage, a two-time Honorable Mention All-America selection, registered two goals in the 17-6 loss at Homewood last year.Â