Hopkins Eliminates Salisbury, 2-1, in Double Overtime Thriller
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - The Capital Athletic Conference champion Salisbury University women’s soccer team saw its season ended Saturday by Johns Hopkins University in overtime, 2-1. The Blue Jays halted Salisbury’s amazing season that saw the Sea Gulls march through the CAC tournament as a No. 3 seed. SU beat three conference rivals and recorded an upset over a No. 2 seed on its way to earn an automatic birth into the NCAA Division III tournament. The first round exit is the Sea Gulls’ first trip to the NCAA tournament since 2000 were they advanced to the elite eight. 

It took two overtimes to decide a winner and JHU (18-2) responded first with a goal in the in the second overtime in the 108th minute off the foot of senior midfielder Jessie McKenzie to end the game as well as SU’s season. SU All-CAC goalie Samantha Phipps stopped nine shots on the day but could not stone McKenzie’s game winner.

The Gulls (10-7-1) trailed at halftime 1-0 and began the second half looking for a scoring chance. That opportunity came at the 69 minute mark when junior forward Erin Casey netted her seventh goal on the year to bring Salisbury back to even. The Sea Gulls could not add another strike to take the lead.

Johns Hopkins limited Salisbury’s all-time single season goal leader, Kate Weaver (20 goals), to one shot, and the rest of the Salisbury’s offense was allowed only four shots to Hopkins’ 19. JHU held the advantage in corners, 6-3.

The Gulls saw their three game winning streak and three game shutout streak come to an end as well. However, Salisbury made an impressive turnaround from a year ago when the Gulls went 6-10-1 and were bounced in the first round of the CAC tournament.