Johns Hopkins did not walk into Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium as a desperate team yesterday, but the Blue Jays were staggering and badly in need of a victory in a series they have owned for more than three decades.
When the rain-soaked affair was over, No. 10 Hopkins was celebrating after recharging its season and reviving its playoff hopes, while No. 3 Navy was left to contemplate how another chance got away.
Sophomore attackman Kevin Huntley scored on a slow, bouncing shot from in close after getting knocked to the ground with 5:07 left to complete a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback. That lifted Hopkins to a 9-8 victory before 13,857, the largest crowd to see a college lacrosse game this season.
Hopkins, which did not grab its first lead until 50 minutes had passed, stretched the most lopsided series in the sport to a new high by beating Navy for the 32nd straight time. More important, the Blue Jays (6-4), coming off last week's 11-4 beating by Maryland, put themselves in strong position to make next month's NCAA tournament for the 35th straight season.
The Blue Jays finish their regular season with games against No. 12 Towson and No. 14 Loyola.
"For us right now, for our confidence, this could be one we look back on as the turning point in our season," Hopkins junior attackman Jake Byrne said. "This win is huge."
The Midshipmen (9-3) were left to ponder yet another gut-wrenching loss. For the fourth time in the past five meetings with Hopkins, Navy lost by one goal. Yesterday, the Mids squandered a 7-5 lead after three quarters, got whipped down the stretch in the faceoff game by Hopkins junior midfielder Jamie Koesterer and had to swallow defeat after out-shooting the Blue Jays, 49-28.
Junior attackman Ian Dingman was held scoreless. He and senior midfielder Billy Looney shot a combined 1-for-30 and missed the cage a combined 23 times.
Hopkins junior goalie Jesse Schwartzman stepped up when the Mids did shoot straight to make 10 saves, including five in a superb third quarter. With 4:45 left, Schwartzman stuffed Navy's last shot on goal - a fast-break 10-yarder by freshman defensive midfielder Geoff Leone.
Huntley and Byrne led the Blue Jays with two goals each. Both players scored to fuel Hopkins' four-goal fourth quarter. So did sophomore midfielder Paul Rabil, who was silent for three quarters, but contributed a goal and an assist in the fourth period.
