March 25, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

At a Glance: Johns Hopkins returns home from California and is looking to make it two in row when the Blue Jays host the Cincinnati Bearcats. The Blue Jays are coming off a 10-9 win over the #16 Oregon Ducks, while the Bears suffered a 19-3 loss to the Denver Pioneers in their last outing.

Against the Bearcats: Johns Hopkins and Cincinnati will meet for the first time on Thursday. The Bearcats are in their first season of varsity lacrossse.

Last Time Out: The Blue Jays won their third straight against the Oregon Ducks, on the strength of hat tricks from sophomores Brett Bathras, Paige Ibello and Sam Schrum. Oregon cut the lead to 10-9 with 1:43 to play, but the Hopkins defense and sophomore Lizzie O'Ferrall locked down. O'Ferrall stopped Erin Chisnell's shot as time expired to take the win.

Snowed Out: Johns Hopkins was slated to host Ohio State on March 9 in both teams' American Lacrosse Conference opener. However, due to heavy snow in Ohio, the Buckeyes were unable to make the trip to Baltimore. The game has been rescheduled for Monday, April 28 at 3:00 pm as part of a double-header with the men's lacrosse team. The men will host Mount St. Mary's at 7:00 pm that night.

10th Anniversary: The 2008 season is the 10th anniversary of Johns Hopkins' move to the Division I level. The Blue Jays are 104-56 (.650) in 10 DI seasons. Hopkins was a Division III team from 1976 to 1998 and posted a 217-135 (.616) record. The Blue Jays made nine trips to the NCAA DIII tournament and won two MAC and four Centennial Conference titles.

Rare Company: Freshman Brianna Cronin had her six-game goal scoring streak come to in an end in the win over Oregon on Saturday. However, that streak put her in some rare company. She is just the fifth player in Hopkins Division I history to score in each of her first five games. She joins sophomore Sam Schrum and All-Americans Jamie Larrimore (`02), Heidi Pearce (`04) and Mary Key (`07) as the only players in school Division I history to turn the trick.

Helpers: Seven different Blue Jays had tallied an assist so far this season. Sophomore Brett Bathras leads the way with 10 assists this season after totaling five all of last season. Sophomore Danielle Ensley has three helpers in seven games, while her classmate Paige Ibello has one on the season. Neither Ensley or Ibello tallied an assist last season.

Scouting the Bearcats: In their inaugural season, the Bearcats post a 1-6 record entering Thursday's game. Cincinnati won its first game on March 7, defeating St. Mary's 12-7 in Annapolis. Since then, the Bearcats have lost three straight.

Lindsey Marshall and Lynsey Burton pace Cincinnati with 12 and 10 goals respectively. While Jamie Desautels has tallied a team-high five assists to go with five goals. Three different players have seen time in the cage for the Bearcats, with Jen Mott seeing the majority of time. She posts a 13.85 goals against average with a .444 save percentage.

You Look Familiar: Cincinnati head coach Lellie Swords was a long time assistant under Johns Hopkins head coach Janine Tucker. Swords served as the defensive coordinator at Hopkins and was promoted to associate head coach in the fall of 2006. She was a volunteer assistant for one season before being promoted to full-time status in August 2002. Swords left Baltimore in February 2007 to begin the Bearcats program.

Records Watch: Senior Kadie Stamper ranks second all-time in JHU history with 186 career draw controls, just 16 shy of tying the program's all-time record of 202 (Jamie Larrimore `02). Stamper also ranks ninth in school Division I history with 78 goals, 10th in points (95), eighth in caused turnovers (58) and tied for ninth in ground balls (128).

Senior Lauren Schwarzmann ranks seventh in JHU DI history with 31 career assists. She is also 11th in career goals (61) and points (92) and is eighth in draw controls (68).

Tewaaraton Watch List: Senior middie Lauren Schwarzmann has been named to the 2008 Warrior Tewaaraton Trophy Watch List. She is one of 44 players named to the list. The Tewaaraton Trophy is presented annually to the top male and female lacrosse players in the nation.

Schwarzmann has scored four goals in three games this season, after missing four due to illness. She is 2-of-5 on free position shots with three ground balls and three draw controls.

Home Sweet Home: Johns Hopkins returns home after a roundtrip of 5,422 miles to take on Oregon at La Costa Canyon High School in Carlsbad, CA. The Blue Jays are 63-27 (.700) at home under head coach Janine Tucker since 1999.

All-Time Record: The Blue Jays are in their 33rd season of lacrosse with an all-time record of 321-191-4 (.626). As a Division I program, Johns Hopkins boasts a 104-56 (.650) record in 10 seasons.

21 In a Row: Johns Hopkins has posted 21 consecutive winning seasons overall, including nine as a Division I program. Among DI schools, the Blue Jays streak of nine consecutive winning seasons is tied for eighth all-time. Among all divisions, Hopkins' streak of 21 consecutive seasons with a winning record ranks fourth all-time.

We're Going Streaking: Three Blue Jays have active scoring streaks entering today's game. Senior Kirby Houck and sophomore Sam Schrum lead the way with five-game point streaks. While sophomore Brett Bathras has a point in each of the last four games.

Preseason Honors: Seniors Lauren Schwarzmann and Kadie Stamper, along with sophomore Sam Schrum have been named to the American Lacrosse Conference Preseason All-Conference Team. Schwarzmann is a three-time All-ALC selection who was tied for second on the team in 2007 with 30 goals. Stamper, who is coming off a fall injury, has earned All-ALC honors twice. Schrum, the 2007 ALC Rookie of the Year, was tied with Schwarzmann with 30 goals last season.

In addition, Stamper was named a preseason Third Team All-American by Inside Lacrosse. She earned All-America honors from Inside Lacrosse in 2005 and 2006.

Red, White and Blue: Senior Lauren Schwarzmann was named to the U.S. Developmental Team last August. She is the second player under head coach Janine Tucker in the last two years to represent the United States. Mary Key `07 was named to the Developmental Team in 2005 and 2006. Last fall, Key was named to the U.S. Elite Team.

Oh Captain, My Captain: Seniors Sarah Gallion, Kirby Houck and Lauren Schwarzmann will serve as captains for the Blue Jays in 2008. Gallion is the Blue Jays leader on defense. A four-year starter, she ranked second on the team last season with 42 ground balls and 16 caused turnovers. Houck scored a career-high 22 goals last season and is one of Hopkins' center draw specialists. Schwarzmann is coming off a 40-point season (30g, 10a) that saw her earn second team all-region honors.

Preseason Pickings: Johns Hopkins has been picked to finish second in the ALC behind three-time NCAA Champion Northwestern. The Blue Jays, who were the runners-up at the inaugural ALC Tournament last May, just edged out the Vanderbilt Commodores for the number two slot. Penn State is picked to finish in fourth, followed by Ohio State in fifth.