No. 5 Johns Hopkins scored the first three goals of the third quarter to turn a close game into a rout, as the host Blue Jays defeated No. 18 Delaware, 15-7, Tuesday night at Homewood Field.
The Blue Jays (2-0), who led 7-4 at the half, scored three goals in the first six minutes of the third quarter and were up 10-5 entering the fourth.
Combined with a drought in the final six minutes of the second quarter, Delaware went 18 minutes, 5 seconds without a goal. The Blue Hens (2-1) finally scored again with 3:48 left in the third period.
The third quarter, though, belonged to Hopkins. Delaware had no answer for Blue Jays senior midfielder Michael Kimmel, who scored three goals in the first half and had two assists in the Hopkins run to open the third quarter. Kimmel finished with three goals and four assists.
"Every year, we have guys who graduate and the older guys have to step up," Kimmel said. "The upperclassmen have to set examples for the younger guys, and we do have some other guys that can draw attention and open things up for other players."
Hopkins offensive coordinator Bobby Benson has been after Kimmel, senior attackman Steven Boyle and junior midfielder Kyle Wharton to become more aggressive on offense this season.
In years past, the Blue Jays always had senior leadership with midfielders Kyle Harrison, Paul Rabil and Brian Christopher.
Tuesday night, it was Kimmel's turn.
"It's something they know they have to do is step up," Hopkins coach Dave Pietramala said. "But it's a new role for them because they aren't used to it. When they were younger, how do you take a ball away from a Paul Rabil, Kyle Harrison or Brian Christopher?"
Kimmel was double-teamed in the third quarter but still slipped a pass to midfielder Max Chautin, who scored with 13:12 remaining to open the quarter.
Boyle beat Delaware defender Pat Dowling from behind goal about three minutes later, and when Wharton scored with 8:02 left, Hopkins had a six-goal lead and the rout was on. Boyle and Wharton each finished with four goals.
Delaware outshot Hopkins 40-34, but Hopkins was more selective on shots, especially in the first two quarters.
The Blue Jays maintained a two-goal lead for most of the second period, and went ahead 6-3 on a transition goal by attackman Zach Palmer with 9:40 left in the quarter.
Midfielder John Austin pulled the Blue Hens to within 6-4 on an assist from Phil Rollins from behind goal with 6:53 left, but Boyle scored with 3:10 remaining to put Hopkins up by three at the half.
It didn't take the Blue Jays long to get their first goal of the night, as Kimmel, on an assist from Chris Lightner off the faceoff, scored 12 seconds into the game.
About six minutes later, Wharton put the Blue Jays ahead 2-0. Delaware answered with two straight goals in a 35-second span. The first was by senior attackman Curtis Dickson, and the other from fellow attackman Mark Steverson with 4:02 left in the first period.
The Blue Jays responded with two goals for a 4-2 at the end of the period.
"I was glad we responded," Pietramala said. "There were times last season when we would panic in those situations." Delaware 2 2 1 2 - 7J.Hopkins 4 3 3 5 - 15Goals: D-Cahill 4, Austin, Dickson, Kaminski; JH-Boyle 4, Wharton 4, Kimmel 3, Palmer 2, Chautin, Ranagan. Assists: D-Elsmo, Kaminski, Lombard, Rollins, Smith; JH-Kimmel 4, Boyle, DiProspero, Lightner, Palasek, Wharton. Saves: D-Fossner 6, Smith 0; JH-Gvozden 12.