Hopkins and Messiah

2xfaux · August 28, 2011, 04:23:20 PM

Hopkins opens with Rensselaer and CMU. Messiah starts with Wittenberg and Swarthmore. On 9-7 JHU and Messiah meet in what has become one of the best rivalries in the east. It should be an interesting first week of the season.

Jim Matson · August 30, 2011, 11:12:39 PM

In the past five years, Messiah has lost two matches; one to Wheaton in the 07 championship match and one to Hardin-Simmons in the 2010 championship match. The Johns Hopkins/Messiah 2010 post-season contest was the toughest the Falcons have had other than those two losses. I think they were genuinely on their heels for most of the second half. There will be some changes to each of the line-ups this season, but it yet might be the best regular season match for both teams.

purplehat · September 04, 2011, 08:18:49 PM

In the past three years I've seen these two teams (Messiah and Hopkins) play five times. It's great that they get together and play during the regular season knowing that there's a good chance they're going to meet again in the NCAA tourney later in the year. The games are just as entertaining as any Final Four game you'll see and I'm really surprised that more soccer fans don't come out and watch. There's no doubt in my mind that over the past five years Hopkins has had the second best program in the nation, but it's just unfortunate that they have to run into Messiah during the sweet sixteen or elite eight every year.

By the way, Messiah travels to Williams & Smith on 9/10 and then to Williams on 10/17. Talk about a tough schedule in a ten day period. By then we should know if they are once again the team to beat.

chairman · September 05, 2011, 09:00:37 AM

Messiah-JHU is always a better game at Homewood than it is at the Shoe. This year is Messiah Women's year to host the third and fourth round (shocking and impressive that that fact is known.) of the NCAA Tournament. If Hopkins wants to get them at home in the post-season, the probably need a win or a tie on Wednesday.

2xfaux · September 05, 2011, 01:51:10 PM

Why a better game at Homewood? JHU's best effort was in the tournament at Messiah last year. A game where even Messiah fans would have to admit that the Blue Jays out played them for most of the match.

Does the NCAA already have an outline for potential regional and sectional sites for this year?

purplehat · September 05, 2011, 08:50:06 PM

There's no doubt that Hopkins played a great second half in last year's ncaa tourney game, but I also agree that Hopkins is better able to play with Messiah on their home pitch. Messiah is so good at controlling the ball and they seem to have a more difficult time doing this on the turf....especially the fast turf at Hopkins.

Sounds like the weather is going to be a factor come Wednesday. Grantham has been getting rain the past two days and it looks like the hurricane leftovers are coming as well. Wonder when they might play it if it does get rained out.

2xfaux · September 06, 2011, 03:09:19 PM

Apparently Wednesday's match has been moved to Homewood due to the weather.

2xfaux · September 08, 2011, 04:15:57 PM

Bummer no JHU v Messiah this year. If they both live up to expectations maybe they will meet in the tournament. Enough with the rain already!!

jellybelly · September 09, 2011, 12:46:52 AM

Why no re-match? After watching Messiah's first two games, I think they need a tougher team to see how they are really doing. Even though they scored a lot of goals they looked shaky to me.

2xfaux · September 09, 2011, 02:53:47 PM

I am certain if it could have been scheduled both teams would have liked to slug it out. Messiah still has three of last years NCAA tournament teams to face in September (William Smith, Williams and Dickinson). We should know a lot more about this Messiah team after Saturday's game at William Smith. Their last two meetings were in the NCAA semi-finals in 2008 and last year. No doubt the Herons will pumped for this one.

purplehat · September 10, 2011, 09:38:49 AM

jellybelly....what part of Messiah's game was shaky to you? From what I heard and read, their offense could have scored more goals and their defense only gave up like two shots all weekend. Coach Frey played his entire bench, so it sounds as if they were totally dominant in every aspect of the game. 2xfaux is right....we'll know how good Messiah is after next weekend. William Smith and Williams on the road within a week of each other is a tough grind.

2xfaux · September 11, 2011, 05:16:42 PM

Did anyone see the William Smith v Messiah game? From the stats and the little bit I heard on the radio it seems that WS dominated the first half and while Messiah played better in the second half the WS defense was more than up to the challenge. Any thoughts?

purplehat · September 11, 2011, 09:17:29 PM

I was at the Messiah and William Smith game and it was a very entertaining game to watch. Both sides had a couple of good scoring opportunities....Messiah from closer range and WS with more distant but quality shots. Both defenses were outstanding, but the way WS defended Messiah's possesion game was impressive. They were all over the Falcons from the beginning and never gave them an easy look at the net. When the Falcons did have a good look, they didn't put their shots on goal. I have been following the Messiah program for over four years now and this was the best defensive performance that I have seen against them. Usually Messiah will wear an opponent down in the second half by using more subs and having fresher legs, but WS used their bench as well and the quality of play didn't drop off.

WS has a freshman forward from South Africa that gave the Messiah defense fits. She has tremendous ball skills and is very strong with the ball. Most of WS offensive action went through her first.

I wouldn't say either time had the better of play. For a while Messiah would have it and then WS. It was fun to watch the different styles of play and how they were both effective at times. I wouldn't be surprised at all if both of these teams are at San Antonio again this year.

2xfaux · September 12, 2011, 02:09:59 PM

It must have been quite a game. According to the box score Messiah's keeper made 7 saves. All last season she only had 42. It's good to see Ms. Reilly get some work.

She was obviously up to the challenge. Great work Autumn!!!

2xfaux · October 07, 2011, 05:18:06 PM

Hopkins seems to be on a roll. This week at TCNJ will tell us a lot about how good JHU really is. It is really too bad the Messiah/JHU game couldn't have been rescheduled. Messiah seems to be pretty banged up right now. They might have already exceded their budget for tape this year. I think they will have to play better than they have lately against a solid Arcadia side this weekend. Thank goodness, for the Messiah folks, the game is at home and not at the smallish field at Arcadia. Can Arcadia solve the Messiah puzzle? It might be interesting!!