BALTIMORE – Nina Wiggins scored the lone goal in the first quarter and the No. 21 Swarthmore College field hockey team shut out No. 8 Johns Hopkins University on the road, 1-0, in a Centennial Conference contest. The Garnet took over sole possession of first place with the triumph.
Josie Sarno recorded seven saves in the cage for her fifth shutout of the season as the Garnet improved to 4-1 against nationally-ranked squads. Swarthmore withstood 12 shots and 12 penalty corners from the Blue Jays, defeating Hopkins in its home stadium for the second time in a row.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Sarno was tested on the first shot of the game, staring down a rocket from the top of the scoring area and knocking it away with her left pad. Just over a minute later, the Garnet took the lead on their first chance on goal.
Erin Coyle dribbled down the left sideline then cut towards the middle of the field. She smacked a pass into the scoring area for Wiggins, who had snuck behind the defense and was opposed by just the goalkeeper. The sophomore deked the goalie and slipped a shot past her for the 1-0 advantage with 8:35 on the clock.
- Sarno stopped another hard shot from the top of the scoring area on a corner and followed that up with a save on a close shot in front late in the first. In the second, the rookie netminder made a diving stop to her right on a corner attempt before knocking another offering away with her blocker. Sarno added another save to finish with six in the first half.
- Sarno registered her last save with just over four minutes to go in the third quarter. The Blue Jays did get one past the goalkeeper at the 2:23 mark but it ricocheted off the left post. Swarthmore locked it down in the fourth, conceding just one Hopkins shot that went wide.
GARNET LEADERS
Goals: Wiggins 1
Assists: Coyle 1
Shots:
Sophie Wilchek 3
Saves: Sarno 7
UP NEXT
The Garnet (8-3, 4-0 Centennial) host Dickinson College on Saturday night.
