Johns Hopkins goalie Michael Gvozden said the reason for his fifth-ranked team?s five-game winning streak is very simple.
“My defense is playing unbelievably,” the sophomore said. “They are forcing opponentsinto low angle shots and playing so well.”
In the team?s past five games, the defense has begun to resemble the championship-caliber group that propelled the Blue Jays to their ninth national title last season. Johns Hopkins (8-5) has allowed no more than seven goals in any game during its winning streak and an average of just 4.6 per game.
The Blue Jays? five games before the winning streak ? all loses ? the team gave up an average of 13 goals per game.
“We had some problems to work out,” Gvozden said, “and we worked them out.”
The rediscovery of a defensive identity was key for the Blue Jays, who appeared on the verge of missing the 16-team NCAA Tournament for the first time in 37 years and just the second time in the event?s history.
But in a 9-6 victory over 18th-ranked Loyola (7-6) on Saturday, Johns Hopkins? defense played well for the about first three quarters, but stymied the Greyhounds during the final 24 minutes. Senior long stick midfielder Matt Bocklet?s career-high 12 ground balls controlled the tempo and kept Loyola from rallying after the Blue Jays took a 6-5 midway through the fourth quarter. Gvozden finished with 14 saves.
“This game truly was indicative of our season: up and down,” Johns Hopkins coach Dave Pietramala, said. “Everyone and their grandma thought we were done and we battled back. We did what we have done late in the year: buckle down and get the job done.”
Theoffense also has started clicking for the Blue Jays, as sophomore Michael Kimmel played his best game of the season. Kimmel scored three times against the Greyhounds after scoring just seven in the first 12 games.
“It was nice working against a short stick,” Kimmel said. “It created some room for me.”
But as much as the Blue Jays have improved, Pietramala said his team isn?t playing like it was last year at this time, when it finished the season on a nine-game winning streak to claim its second title in three years.
“I don?t think we are playing great,” he said, “but who is right now?”
