Dec. 4, 2008

Season In Review

BALTIMORE, MD - Head coach Leo Weil clinched his 200th career win and the Johns Hopkins women's soccer team completed the only unbeaten season in program history en route to a first-time berth in the NCAA Sweet 16 in the best season in program history in 2008. Picked to win the Centennial Conference in the preseason coaches' poll, Hopkins did not disappoint, capturing its fourth consecutive conference title.

Hopkins defeated Oneonta State and Meredith in the Roanoke Invitational to win the season-opening tournament, recording two shutouts in the process. The Blue Jays returned to Homewood for a Labor Day home-opener with Hamline, soaring past the Pipers. 5-0. The freshmen were major contributors in the win as rookie Erica Suter scored her second goal of the season and Paulina Goodman also added a goal. Freshman Colleen Quinlan also recorded two consecutive assists in the win.

Just two days later, JHU beat Misericordia, 2-0, on the road for its fourth straight shutout. With a 4-0-0 record, Hopkins broke into the NSCAA national rankings at the No. 15 spot on September 9.

No. 2 Messiah visited Homewood on September 10. The Blue Jays persevered through 110 minutes to leave the Falcons scoreless, while securing their fifth consecutive shutout in five games. With the tie, Hopkins moved to the No. 9 slot in the national poll at 4-0-1.

The Blue Jays tied St. Mary's (Md.) in their next contest, surrendering the first goals of the season. Sophomore Allie Zazzali and junior Caitlin Moore kept Hopkins' unbeaten streak alive with their goals against the Seahawks.

JHU downed Washington in its Centennial Conference opener, 4-0 at home. Freshman Ava Scheininger scored the first goal of her career against the Shorewomen on a penalty kick. Freshmen Alison Smith and Paulina Goodman also made their first career starts in the conference opener. Rookie goalkeeper Kristen Redsun played her first complete half of collegiate soccer against Washington.

Hopkins faced Swarthmore at home the following week, looking for its seventh shutout of the year. The Garnet had defeated No. 1 ranked The College of New Jersey in the week prior to the match and came to Baltimore ranked No. 5 in the Mid-Atlantic region. Freshman Paulina Goodman notched the game-winner in the 76th minute after a pass from sophomore defender Rhiannon Desideri for the 1-0 victory. Goodman was named to the Centennial Conference weekly honor roll (9/29/08) for her efforts.

On September 30, the Blue Jays achieved a program-best No. 5 national ranking after posting seven shutouts, still unbeaten in their first eight games. Hopkins traveled to Carlisle, PA for its first Centennial match up on the road. The No. 5 Blue Jays emerged with a 1-0 victory, posting its third consecutive shutouts against a conference opponent.

Hopkins returned to Charm City to square off against Frostburg in its final non-conference showdown of the season. The Blue Jays came away with a 2-2 tie against the Bobcats, but defeated Haverford two days later, 2-1 in overtime in their third game of the week. Suter scored both of Hopkins' goals against Haverford and had one goal and one assist against Frostburg to tally seven points on the week. The freshman earned Centennial Conference weekly honor roll recognition after a 2-0-1 Hopkins week. Freshman Colleen Quinlan netted the first goal of her rookie campaign against FSU.

Weil reached the 200th-win mark at Gettysburg on October 11. The Blue Jays defeated the Bullets, 1-0, with Suter's seventh goal of the year. Hopkins earned its ninth shutout of the season as Weil became the first Centennial Conference coach to assemble 200 career victories.

Hopkins downed Franklin & Marshall, 2-1 and Muhlenberg, 3-0, to stay perfect in Centennial play. Sophomore Erin Stafford had her third game-winner of the season in the win over the Diplomats. Suter recorded two goals that week, one against F&M and one at Muhlenberg to bring her season point total to 20. Freshman Leslie O'Brien made her first career start at Muhlenberg after tallying an assist on Stafford's goal against the Diplomats.

No. 7 Hopkins downed The College of New Jersey, 1-0, on the road with freshman Leslie O'Brien's first collegiate goal. The win was Hopkins first over TCNJ in 10 all-time meetings.

The Blue Jays capped their Centennial Conference schedule with three straight shutouts to end the regular season. With wins over Bryn Mawr, McDaniel and Ursinus, Hopkins finished with a perfect 10-0-0 record and the right to host its third consecutive Centennial Conference Tournament. Hopkins is the fourth school in the conference to finish 10-0-0 and the only team to accomplish the feat twice (2006, 2008).

The top-seeded Blue Jays took out Muhlenberg, 1-0 in the semifinals, advancing to face Dickinson in the championship. Dickinson held Hopkins scoreless through two overtime periods to force a penalty shootout. Senior Jane O'Connor, senior Lisa Irizarry, and junior Natalie Held each hit their mark before freshman Molly Bralower landed the winning shot to give JHU its fourth consecutive Centennial Conference title from a 4-2 shootout.

Making their seventh all-time NCAA tournament berth, the Blue Jays earned the honor of hosting a four-team NCAA first and second round regional, a program-first. Hopkins shutout Meredith for the second time in 2008 in the NCAA first round game, 1-0. The Blue Jays moved on to the NCAA second round on Sunday to face Virginia Wesleyan for the third straight time in an NCAA Tournament game. Hopkins breezed to a 1-0 victory over the Marlins, the first in school history, to propel the Blue Jays into their first NCAA Sweet 16.

Hopkins faced William Smith on its home turf for the third round match up a week later. The Herons proved to be too much for the Blue Jays, handing Hopkins its first loss of the season, 3-1, and putting an end to its furthest postseason run in program history. The Blue Jays finished the year at 18-1-4.

After a great season and an abundance of success in the classroom, sophomores Jenn Paulucci and Sarah Gieszl each garnered academic all-district honors. Paulucci earned CoSIDA ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Second Team and Gieszl was named to the third team.

Suter became one of just 20 all-time rookies to earn first team All-Centennial honors. Paulucci was also named first team all-conference, having been the only unanimous selection. Senior Molly Steele, Gieszl and junior Karen Guszkowski each received second team All-Centennial honors. Weil was named Centennial Conference Coach of the Year in the inaugural year of the award after a stellar Centennial season.

Hopkins will lose five seniors from a team that reached the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in the history of the program, but returns 23 players who saw action in four or more games. The Blue Jays will return in 2009 to seek a fifth consecutive Centennial Conference title and another NCAA Tournament berth.

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