Baffled by Blue Jays: Rutgers women's lacrosse suffers 4th-quarter collapse in loss to No. 9 Johns Hopkins
The Rutgers women's lacrosse team fell to Johns Hopkins by a score of 13-12 in double overtime on Saturday at SHI Stadium on Busch campus. Despite controlling the game for the majority of its duration, the Scarlet Knights (6-7, 0-5) could not find the twine in the end. They have now dropped 6 of their last 7 games.
Prior to the beginning of Rutgers' final home match of the season against the Blue Jays (10-3, 2-1), 12 different Knights were honored on Senior Day.
No. 9 Johns Hopkins kick-started the action with a goal from Maeve Barker to put the Blue Jays on the scoreboard first. From that point on, Rutgers would gain all the momentum over Johns Hopkins with 5 straight points in the back of the net.
Graduate student midfielder Cassidy Spilis delivered the first 2 goals. Then, sophomore midfielder Kayleigh Coughlin and junior midfielder Alexa Corbin each scored 1 goal to give the Knights a 4-1 lead.
With less than a minute to play, junior midfielder and attacker Michelle Warren ended the quarter with a quick sling into the net, giving Rutgers an additional tally.
In the second quarter, the Blue Jays attempted to play catch-up as both squads battled for offensive control. Ava Angello scored 2 goals in a row to cut the deficit and make it a 5-3 game in favor of the Knights. Warren responded with an unassisted goal to give Rutgers some extra cushion on its lead.
With less than 7 minutes remaining in the first half, a combined 7 goals were scored by both teams. Johns Hopkins' Campbell Case contributed with a goal, but Spilis answered with another goal for the Knights. After 2 more goals from each side, including a goal from the Blue Jays with only a second remaining in the quarter, Rutgers led 9-6 at halftime.
Despite playing with a potent offense the whole game, neither team could find a single goal during the third quarter, leading to a significant comeback for Johns Hopkins in the final 15 minutes.
The Blue Jays scored 2 goals to start off the last quarter before the Knights could respond, making it a 1-goal game with a 9-8 score. Sophomore midfielder Ava Chiarella scored for Rutgers to help the Knights lead by 2, but Barker retaliated to give Johns Hopkins another 1-goal deficit.
With 4:17 left to play, Warren cashed in for her 3rd goal of the game. Spilis scored Rutgers' last goal, her 5th of the match, to give the Knights a 3-goal lead once more.
As Rutgers went quiet on the offensive front, the Blue Jays took advantage. Johns Hopkins managed to pot home 3 goals with 1:49 left to play and tied the score at 12-12.
The two teams entered their first overtime of the game, but neither team could score right away. Double overtime led to the Blue Jays picking up the final goal of the game off the stick of Bailey Cheetham as she fired her offering over the left shoulder of senior goalkeeper Sophia Cardello.
For the better part of the fourth quarter, the Knights outscored Johns Hopkins. Rutgers posed a threat to the ranked opponent throughout the game but ultimately did not keep its foot on the gas and fell in the end.
The Knights will be back on the road this upcoming week and will travel to New York for a game against Stony Brook on Tuesday. Faceoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
For more updates on the Rutgers women's lacrosse team, follow @TargumSports on X.
