Cavaliers Dominate Johns Hopkins in 12-6 Victory
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March 23, 2002
Video Highlights and Postgame Comments
Charlottesville, Va. – Freshman attackman John Christmas had a hand in the last six goals of the game to propel the fourth-ranked Virginia Cavaliers to a 12-6 win over top-ranked Johns Hopkins today before 5196 fans at a sunny Kl?ckner Stadium.
The win is Virginia’s fourth in a row as the Cavaliers improve to 5-1 on the season, while Johns Hopkins falls to 3-1 overall.
The Cavaliers built an early 6-2 lead following Nick Russo’s full field run with just over five minutes before halftime, but the Blue Jays closed the half with three unanswered goals to cut Virginia’s halftime lead to 6-5.
Blue Jay captain Bobby Benson tied the game at six with a blistering shot that beat goalie Tillman Johnson stickside high just 3:26 into the half, but the goal proved to be Hopkins’ last.
Christmas rang up four consecutive assists to close the third quarter as the Cavaliers dominated the game’s final 25 minutes. The run began with Christmas feeding fellow freshman Joe Yevoli on the crease with 9:11 left in the quarter. The play was set up following a Johnson save. The sophomore goalie hit long stick middie Trey Whitty in stride with an outlet pass. Whitty crossed the midline and passed to Christmas on the right wing. Christmas found Yevoli all alone on the crease with goalie Nick Murtha, who he beat easily for the score.
Less than three minutes later Christmas found middie Brenndan Mohler in front to push Virginia’s lead to 8-6. Billy Glading scored his only goal of the game with less than four minutes remaining in the quarter by connecting off a Christmas feed from behind. Yevoli closed the third quarter with his second goal of the period.
Christmas scored his second goal of the day midway through the final period as the Cavaliers opened their largest lead of the day at 11-6. He added his final goal with just under three-and-a-half minutes left to go by taking a pass from middie Chris Rotelli and beating Murtha.
Johnson had another splendid performance to highlight a strong effort by the entire Virginia defense. He finished with a season-high 14 saves, the fourth game in a row he registered at least 10 saves. He had six saves in the second half and allowed just one goal in the game’s final 30 minutes. The Blue Jays six goals is their season low.
Virginia travels to play the Maryland Terrapins in its ACC opener at Byrd Stadium on Saturday (March 30) at 1:00 p.m.
Johns Hopkins 2-3-1-0-6Virginia 3-3-4-2-12att-5196
ShotsJHU 38UVa 35
ClearingJHU 23 of 25UVa 23 of 30
FaceoffsJHU 13UVa 9
Ground ballsJHU 47UVa 49
PenaltiesJHU 1-0:30UVa 1-0:30
Extra-Man ScoringJHU 0 of 1UVa 0 of 1
Goalie SummaryJHU-Nick Murtha 7 saves, 12 goals, 60 mins.UVa-Tillman Johnson 14 saves, 6 goals, 60 mins.
JHU scoring:Goals-Peter LeSueur 2, Kyle Barrie, Bobby Benson, Kevin Boland, Adam Doneger.
Assists-Barrie, Doneger, Joe McDermott, Tim Muir.
UVa scoring:Goals-John Christmas 3, Joe Yevoli 3, A.J. Shannon 2, Billy Glading, Brenndan Mohler, Chris Rotelli, Nick Russo.
Assists-Christmas 4, Rotelli 2, Conor Gill, Glading, Russo.