NCAA Bracket

Johns Hopkins and Swarthmore both secured two-goal victories in the opening round of the NCAA Division III women's soccer tournament on Saturday night. Hopkins blanked St. John Fisher 2-0 while Swarthmore posted a comeback 4-2 win over Bridgewater (Va.). 

In Baltimore, Md., Hopkins used a pair of second-half goals and a smothering defensive effort to fuel a 2-0 win over St. John Fisher in the opening round of the tournament on Saturday evening at Homewood Field.  The win improves the Blue Jays' all-time record in the first round of the tournament to 17-5-1.
 
The Blue Jays (16-4-1) outshot the Cardinals 8-1 in the opening 45 minutes and drew all three corners awarded before halftime, but couldn't solve goalkeeper Isabella Ayers, who picked up saves on both Blue Jay offerings that were on frame.
 
Johns Hopkins kept the pressure up in the second half and finally broke through in the 68^th minute when senior Maria Romo-Nichols, who was dangerous throughout the game, drew a foul in the box and was awarded a penalty kick. Romo-Nichols calmly slotted home her penalty offering to give the Blue Jays a one-goal lead.
 
That lead stood for just under 10 minutes before junior Caroline Marcus scored off a rebound to double the Blue Jay lead.  Johns Hopkins pressured down the wing and a cross found its way through the box to freshman Lena Olbrys, who fired a shot on goal that was kept away by a defender on the line, but Marcus was there to slot home what proved to be the insurance goal in the 2-0 victory.
 
Johns Hopkins picked up its 12^th shutout of the season as the Blue Jays allowed just one first-half shot over 90 minutes.  Freshman Ella Kruntchev wasn't forced to make a save in recording her eighth solo shutout of the season.
 
Johns Hopkins will host Stevens in the second round on Sunday at 7 p.m. 

In Cleveland, Ohio, 13th-ranked Swarthmore pulled off an electric comeback victory over Bridgewater (Va.), 4-2, in its return to the NCAA Tournament on Saturday evening. The Garnet overcame an early 2-0 deficit to rattle off four-unanswered goals, which included three-straight from Charlotte Carleton. The junior attempted three shots on the evening, with all three attempts finding the back of the net. 

Swarthmore completely flipped the script on the Eagles after falling behind 2-0 in the opening minutes. Carleton ignited the Garnet offense with three goals to tally her first career hat trick.  Macie Mangini also joined the scoring with an insurance goal in the 70th minute. 

Bridgewater attempted the first seven shots, including two goals in the opening 15-minutes of action. Carleton eventually settled down the Garnet with the team's first shot and goal in the 21st minute, which sparked a stretch of four-unanswered to close the game. Swarthmore outshot their opponent 21-7 after allowing the opening two scores. 

The Garnet will advance to this weekend's finale to battle the host No. 6 Case Western Reserve tomorrow at 7:30 p.m.