BALTIMORE, MD – The #2 Johns Hopkins Blue Jays got a third period penalty shot to escape an upset bid from the York College Spartan field hockey squad on Wednesday afternoon in Baltimore. The stroke was the only goal of the game as the Blue Jays were held to just a single goal for the first time this year.  
The Blue Jays, who finished 2021 as the Division III national runner up, improve to 3-0 while the Spartans suffered their first loss of the year to fall to 2-1. The Blue Jays are now 25-1 in the last two years of play including 15-0 at historic Homewood Field.
 
How It Happened
• The Blue Jays had a great chance midway through the first quarter as they drew a penalty corner. Hopkins' Anna Scott blasted a shot off the corner and the ball drilled the left post. The shot caromed back into play. The Blue Jays' Mikayla Schoff picked up the loose ball but her shot attempt was blocked.
• The Spartans got their best chance of the first half five minutes into the second as Riley Buschert hit a shot that was saved by goalie Phoebe Williams.
• The offense in the first half was limited as Hopkins outshot York 4-1 including 1-0 in shots on goal.
• The Blue Jays came roaring out of the half as they pressured the Spartans with three shots on goal in the first five minutes of the stanza. The Spartans were whistled for a penalty as Abby Birk took the stroke. Spartan keeper Belle Fields was up to the task as she saved the attempt, keeping the game scoreless. The Blue Jays got a penalty corner followed by two blocked shots but on the second shot, the Spartans were again whistled for a foul that allowed the Jays a second penalty stroke just 28 seconds after the first. This time, Siena Urbanski was able to sneak the ball past Fields despite a great effort from the Spartan keeper that saw her get a piece the ball on the way to the back of the cage.
• The goal seemed to wake up the Spartan offense as York had one penalty corner and four shots over the final seven minutes of the third but they couldn't solve the Blue Jay defense.
• York was unable to get the equalizer in the fourth as neither team was able to really generate any offense in the final 15 minutes of play.
 
Spartan Notes
The game was the first meeting between the two programs since September 26, 2018 … The Spartans lead the all-time series with the Jays 5-4 but Hopkins has won two straight in the series … the goal for the Blue Jays snapped York's scoreless streak at 155:51 to open the season after York had two shutouts to open the campaign … the 1-0 loss was the second in four games dating back to last year when Widener ended York's campaign 1-0 in overtime in the MAC Commonwealth semifinals … Hopkins ended the game out shooting York 14-6 but the shots on goal total was much closer as the Blue Jays held a 5-3 margin in that category … sophomore goalie Belle Fields allowed her first goal of the year as she made a career high four saves in the game.
 
Up Next
The Spartans continue their season-high five game road trip on Saturday when they head to Bryn Mawr for a non-conference contest. Game time in Bryn Mawr, PA is set for 1:00 pm.