There was no need for any dramatic, game-winning goals for Johns Hopkins midfielder Paul Rabil this time against Princeton in the Konica-Minolta Face-Off Classic.
Rabil finished with three goals and four assists as top-ranked Johns Hopkins (2-0) scored the first eight goals en route to 14-9 win against ninth-ranked Princeton (1-1) in front of 19,165 fans at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday.
But the Blue Jays can?t revel in their victory over the Tigers very long. Johns Hopkins must deal with a quick turnaround, as it hosts UMBC on Tuesday night at 7 at Homewood Field. The Retrievers (1-2) upset No. 16 Denver, 9-6, on Saturday.
Rabil, who scored the game-winning goal in overtime to defeat Princeton in last year?s Classic, said the best way his team can build on its 11-game winning streak dating to last season is to get as many players involved as possible.
And that?s exactly what the Blue Jays did against Princeton, as seven players had at least one point to back a strong performance by sophomore goalie Mike Gvozden.
“We?re trying not to have just 10- or 20-second possessions where it?s just a dodge and a shot,” Rabil said. “We had some long possessions that ended up in goals which is huge for us, especially our defense, which couldsit back and rest their legs. We can build off that.”
Johns Hopkins coach Dave Pietramala said he was pleased with the fast start, but didn?t like how his team played in the second half, when it was outscored, 8-4.
“I thought we did a good job in transition, we were very unselfish and I?m pleased with that,” he said. “What I?m not pleased with is I didn?t think we played with a lead very well. I thought we got comfortable and made a lot of mental errors in the second half.”
In the first game of the Face-Off Classic, Virginia sophomore midfielder Brian Carroll, a former Gilman standout, scored the game-winning goal with 1:29 left in overtime to give the third-ranked Cavaliers a 14-13 victory over seventh-ranked Syracuse.
Carroll, a Towson native, has nine goals in four games after scoring just 11 last season.
“It was a great feeling,” said Carroll of the game-winning goal that improved his team to 4-0 and dropped the Orange to 2-1. “I know a lot of people here in my hometown and to do this in this rivalry, it was pretty special.”
The game also marked the return of Virginia senior attacker Ben Rubeor, a Loyola Blakefield graduate who missed the first three games with a knee injury. Rubeor, who had two assists against the Orange, scored 46 goals and had 22 assists en route to being named an All-American last season.
“It meant a lot to us [to have Rubeor back],” Virginia coach Dom Starsia said. “He?s our best player and a leader almost since the first day he stepped first on campus.”
