COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Ursinus College men's soccer team went toe to toe with powerhouse Johns Hopkins for a half on Senior Day before the visitors seized control en route to a 2-0 Centennial Conference victory.
The Bears (5-8-2, 0-6-2) were the more dangerous side for the first 15 minutes, firing off three shots to just one for the Blue Jays. Jerry Bardol saw a couple of chances miss narrowly, first on a backwards header in the 10th minute and again three minutes later when his right-footed volley on a cross from Aidan O'Malley blazed just over the crossbar.
No. 5 Johns Hopkins (12-2-1, 5-1-1) broke the Bears' resistance in the 54th minute as R.J. Moore played a pass down the right side for Jake Kooyman, who chipped Tyler Lewin for the opener. Moore also assisted on a similar chip-shot tally by Nate Charendoff in the 77th minute.
After the Blue Jays broke the deadlock, Dylan Bagley made a sensational defensive play for Ursinus, rushing back to deflect a shot goal-bound shot by Jonathon Brown after the Hopkins player had dribbled around Lewin.
Colin Klingman, Christian D'Ascenzo, and Joe Kilday all started for Ursinus, which also honored Rocco Mesoraca in a pregame ceremony.
After a slim 4-3 edge in shots in the first half, Hopkins ended the match with a 15-7 surplus. The Blue Jays recorded eight corners to three for Ursinus.
Bardol and O'Malley led the Bears with two shots each, while Lewin made three saves.
The Bears head to the Main Line to take on Haverford on Wednesday.