Johns Hopkins defeated Catholic 1-0 in its women’s soccer season opener Tuesday in Baltimore, with senior Caroline Marcus scoring the only goal just over 26 minutes into the match. Sophomore Ella Kruntchev preserved the shutout with a save on Julie Faranda’s header in the 44th minute.
Caroline Marcus Delivers the Decisive Finish
Marcus scored her eighth career goal after freshman Inara Inesi fed the ball to the top of the box and senior Lauren Fang redirected it to Marcus. Marcus moved through the box and placed her shot just inside the far post, with Inesi and Fang credited with assists.
Johns Hopkins held a 13-6 advantage in shots and took three of the match’s four corner kicks. Catholic goalkeeper Lauren Creamer made two first-half saves, while Kruntchev added two saves in the second half to complete the 10th solo shutout of her career.
Six Freshmen Started for Johns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins opened with one senior, two juniors, two sophomores and six freshmen in its starting lineup. The six freshmen were believed to be the most in Johns Hopkins history.
Marcus was the only field player in the starting 11 who had previously started a game for Johns Hopkins. The victory was the 348th of coach Dan Weiler’s career.
MSB Analysis
Caroline Marcus provided the decisive moment, while Ella Kruntchev protected the one-goal lead with an important first-half save. Johns Hopkins also controlled the shot and corner-kick totals in a season-opening victory built around timely finishing and goalkeeping.
Source: Original report
