Johns Hopkins Defeats UAlbany, 14-9, in Matchup of National Top-20 Men's Lacrosse Teams

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Baltimore, Md. – Chris Boland scored five goals, one off his career-high, in leading Johns Hopkins to a 14-9 victory over UAlbany in a battle of national top-20 teams on Saturday, April 4 at Homewood Field. The Blue Jays, who are ranked No. 11 in both national polls, ended a three-game skid, including an overtime loss to North Carolina in their last outing one week ago.

Johns Hopkins (4-4) led 3-2 heading into the second quarter, but then dominated the period with four unanswered. Michael Kimmel scored with 10 seconds elapsed when he ran diagonally to send a shot past goalkeeper John Carroll after his team won the face-off. Mark Bryan, one of four JHU players with multiple goals, went by a UAlbany midfielder and switched to his left hand for a 5-2 lead with 8:41 left before the intermission.

Kyle Wharton, who missed the second half of the North Carolina game due to an injury, added another goal 44 seconds later when he faked and rifled a shot into the upper corner while falling down. Senior midfielder Brian Christopher gave his club a 7-2 margin when he drove down the left side of the box. The Blue Jays, using winds that gusted to 30 miles per hour to their advantage, ripped 18 of a total 39 shots at the cage in the quarter.

In the third period, Bryan and Boland found the net eight seconds apart for a 9-2 lead. Bryan drilled a 12-yard shot from the right side on his team’s first possession of the half. Matt Dolente, who won all eight face-offs in the quarter, gained the following draw and set up Boland in a 4-on-3 situation. The Blue Jays, whose three consecutive losses coming into the contest were by a combined five goals, held a six- to seven-goal cushion early into the final stanza.

UAlbany (6-3) trailed 12-5, but then made a run by scoring three consecutive times. Brian Caufield tallied back-to-back goals in a 33-second span. He used a pick to place a shot over the goalkeeper’s left shoulder and went high into the net with his second goal. Derek Kreuzer connected with the man-advantage when Caufield found him from the top with 11:05 remaining. Caufield finished with three goals and one assist.

The Great Danes, who were playing without injured top goal-scorer Corey Small for the fourth straight contest, looked to cut into the deficit even more when JHU’s Dolente took a slashing penalty. But freshman Rocky Bonitatibus turned the ball over in the extra-man situation. The Blue Jays, who have captured nine NCAA national championships, including the 2007 title, ended the threat with one of their three man-advantage goals. Christopher moved in from the right wing, his 13th of the season, for a 13-8 lead with 8:11 to play.

“We made a couple of critical errors in the second quarter and they took advantage,” said UAlbany coach Scott Marr, whose squad was playing its third national top-15 team this season. “We played well defensively since we didn’t have the ball (in that quarter). When we fell behind 9-2, we dug down, showed character, and competed. We played smart, but we were not able to convert the man-up and another fastbreak opportunity.”

Wharton and Christopher each had two goals for the Blue Jays, who helped head coach Dave Pietramala record his 100th win at the school. Pietramala’s teams improved to 37-4 in the month of April. UAlbany’s Kreuzer scored a pair of goals, while freshman Joe Resetarits added one goal and two assists.

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#18 UAlbany (6-3) 2 0 3 4 - 9

#11 Johns Hopkins (4-4) 3 4 4 3 - 14

UAlbany – Scoring: Brian Caufield 3-1, Derek Kreuzer 2-0, Joe Resetarits 1-2, Joe Pompo 1-1, Dave Brock 1-1, Luke Cometti 1-0; Goalkeeper(s): John Carroll (60:00, 3 saves, 14 GA).

Johns Hopkins – Scoring: Chris Boland 5-0, Mark Bryan 2-0, Kyle Wharton 2-0, Brian Christopher 2-0, Michael Kimmel 1-1, Josh Peck 1-0, Tom Palasek 1-0, Steven Boyle 0-3, Matt Dolente 0-2, Mark Goodrich 0-1; Goalkeeper(s): Michael Gvozden (60:00, 5 saves, 9 GA).