Championship Central
Top-seeded Johns Hopkins and third-seeded Dickinson both posted one-goal victories in Thursday's semifinals to advance to the Centennial Conference field hockey championship. The Blue Jays (18-1) will host the Red Devils (18-2) in Saturday's chamionship at 5 p.m. at Homewood Field in Baltimore, Md.
The six-time defending champion Blue Jays are making their eighth consecutive and 16th overall appearance in the title game, while the Red Devils advanced to the championship round for the second time. This will mark the second time that these two squads square off for the CC crown, with JHU beating Dickinson 5-0 in the 2021 title game.
In the first game of the evening in Baltimore, Megan Chang's first-quarter goal turned out to be all second-ranked Johns Hopkins needed to defeat 19th-ranked Haverford, 1-0, in the Centennial Conference semifinals. The Blue Jays extended their win streak to 17 games as they improved to 18-1, while the Fords fell to 14-6.
On just their second penalty corner of the game, the Blue Jays cashed in. Fords' goalie Steph Ionescu made back-to-back saves on Ada Farmer and Chang, but the third time was the charm for JHU. Chang corralled the rebound, dribbled to her left to create space and the fired a reverse into the top of the Haverford goal at the 6:39-mark.
In Lancaster, Pa., Megan McClure tallied a goal in the early in the third quarter and the Dickinson defense and goalkeeper Taylor Morrow held off a late Franklin & Marshall charge en route to a 1-0 win over the second-seeded Diplomats at Tylus Field.
FIRST ROUND: Tuesday, Nov. 4 | at #3 & #4 seeds
#3 Dickinson d. #6 Ursinus, 2-1 | Box Score
#5 Haverford d. #4 Swarthmore, 2-0 | Box Score
SEMIFINALS: Thursday, Nov. 6 | at #1 & #2 seeds
#3 Dickinson d. #2 Franklin & Marshall, 1-0 | Box Score
#1 Johns Hopkins d. #5 Haverford, 1-0 | Box Score
CHAMPIONSHIP: Saturday, Nov. 8 | Baltimore, Md.
#3 Dickinson at #1 Johns Hopkins, 5 p.m.
