Johns Hopkins raised its level of difficulty a little higher yesterday.
After needing major second-half rallies to record their first two victories of the season, the No. 3 Blue Jays managed to top themselves again. Ahead by a goal with 21 seconds remaining, Hopkins went from clearing the ball at its offensive end to a man-down situation because of an illegal stick.
But the pressure-tested Blue Jays refused to retreat and, instead, attacked, with Hopkins defenseman Brandon Testa stripping Drew McKnight with four seconds left, preserving a 16-15 victory over No. 5 Virginia before 3,523 at Homewood Field.
Hopkins (3-1), which has won its three games by a total of four goals and is off to its best start since 1995, relied on the shooting of Dylan Schlott, Conor Denihan and Matt O'Kelly, a combination that produced 14 goals.
Virginia (4-2) was shut down on six of seven extra-man opportunities, including its last-gasp effort, in a game that featured eight ties.
"I talked all week about how big this lacrosse game was for our team," Hopkins coach John Haus said.
"Bottom line, we came away with a pretty good win at Homewood Field. There was no confusion [at the end]. We handled it, came up with a good stop at the end and finished it off."
Hop kins appeared in total control after outside shots by O'Kelly and Dan Denihan lifted the Blue Jays to a 16-14 lead with 5: 48 left to play. But the high-scoring Cavaliers made a move with 34 seconds remaining when Tucker Radebaugh cranked an extra-man goal high into the net to pull Virginia within 16-15.
On the ensuing faceoff, the Blue Jays' Eric Wedin scooped up the ball before getting knocked to the turf. He amazingly managed to get back on his feet while maintaining possession while taking successive hits by three Cavaliers. Hopkins called time and would start its clear a few yards inside the midfield line.
But just before the whistle blew, Virginia coach Dom Starsia asked for a check of Wedin's stick. Decision: Nothing illegal.
Then Starsia questioned the stick of O'Kelly, who was going to start the clear for Hopkins. Decision: An illegal pocket, giving the ball to the Cavaliers while putting the Blue Jays a man down for a minute.
"We try to use up as much of the game as we can and use up as many as the rules we can," said Starsia, whose Cavaliers would have been penalized a timeout for delay of game if O'Kelly's stick would have been declared legal.
"Matt O'Kelly was standing there ready to inbound the ball, I could see his stick clearly was illegal."
So how did O'Kelly's pocket become too deep?
"I have no idea," said O'Kelly, who tied a career best with four goals. "I play with that stick every day. I go in and have it checked every day and the pocket's fine. And it was the pocket. I guess it stretched out."
Nevertheless, the Blue Jays' defense, which had allowed its highest goal total in over a year, faced its most critical stand of the year.
Hopkins rotated quickly to Virginia's perimeter passing until McKnight took a step back. At that moment, Testa anticipated a shot but found himself out of position against a dodging McKnight, saving himself with a desperate check to force the ball loose and end the game.
"I was kind of lunging and he brought his stick underneath," Testa said. "I was lucky enough that, when he brought it back, I came down on it. It worked out well."
Although the defense turned Virginia away at the end, it was the offense that carried Hopkins.
The Blue Jays always seemed to have plenty of room to spot up for their shots and knocked Virginia goalkeeper Derek Kenney out of the game six minutes into the fourth period after goals by O'Kelly and Justin Shaberly gave Hopkins its first second-half lead at 14-13.
Just eight seconds later, Virginia's Conor Gill converted a transition score off the faceoff to tie the game.
Yet whatever offense the Cavaliers produced, their defense yielded right back. And new goalkeeper Ben O'Neil appeared just as troubled.
On the first shot he faced, O'Kelly beat him stick side from 20 yards, bumping Hopkins back ahead, 15-14, with 8: 40 left. Three minutes after that, Dan Denihan slammed a 10-yard shot into the upper left corner with little reaction from O'Neil.
"Keeping the ball out of the goal is a group activity in lacrosse," Starsia said. "We just didn't do a good enough job on the defensive end of the field."
Virginia 4 3 5 3 -- 15
Johns Hopkins 3 4 5 4 -- 16
Goals: V--Radebaugh 5, Gill 2, Baruch 2, Bruce, Oakey, McKnight, Leahy, Holcomb, Vercollone; JH--Schlott 5, C. Denihan 5, O'Kelly 4, D. Denihan, Shaberly. Assists: V--Oakey 2, Gill 2, McKnight, Jalbert, Leahy; JH--D. Denihan 3, O'Kelly 3, Rabuano 2, Kumin, Doerr. Saves: V--Kenney 8, O'Neil 0; JH--Carcaterra 16.