News Release
Venker's Hat Trick Leads Hopkins to 7-1 Win
BALTIMORE, MD � The #6 Johns Hopkins men�s soccer team overcame a 65-minute weather delay on Tuesday night for a 7-1 win over visiting Juniata. The Blue Jays improve to 12-1-0 on the season while the Eagles fall to 3-10-0. Sophomore Max Venker (Oldsmar, FL/Palm Harbor University High) netted his first career hat trick to pace the Blue Jays in the win.
Hopkins got on the board in the 21st minute when Venker connected on a pass from senior Ben McAbee (Hagerstown, MD/North Hagerstown) from 25 yards out. Just over two minutes later, Venker found the back of the net again, this time scoring off a free kick from 30 yards out. Juniata�s Jordan McGowan cut the lead to 2-1 in the 42nd minute. He fired a high ball on the Hopkins net that was misplayed by sophomore goalie Matt Mierley (Weston, FL/St. Thomas Aquinas).
Coming out of the half, McAbee quickly pushed the score to 3-1. Venker took a free kick for the Blue Jays from the left end line. McAbee, standing on the near post, deflected the ball past Eagles goalie Ted Sonneborn. Nine minutes later, the rain came, followed by lightning and play was suspended at 57:25. Following a 65-minute delay, play resumed.
Venker completed his hat trick in the 70th minute to make it a 4-1 game. From the right end line sophomore Evan Giles (Ponte Verde Beach, FL/Episcopal) sent the ball across the mouth of the goal and Venker flicked it in at the left post. Just over two minutes later, the Blue Jays were up 5-1. Freshman Chris Wilson (Bel Air, MD/John Carroll) played a long ball over the Juniata defense. Freshman Scott Bukoski (Sagamore, MA/Bourne) split a pair of defenders and fired a hard shot to the upper left corner of the goal.
In the 75th minute, junior Nick Gauna (Evanston, IL/Evanston) intercepted a short goal kick by Sonneborn and fired a low shot under the diving keeper for his eighth of the season. Bukoski closed out the scoring in the 77th minute with his second of the night and team-leading 15th of the season. Sophomore Tommy McQueen (West Hartford, CT/Choate Rosemary Hall) played the ball into the box from the left flank and Bukoski chipped over Sonneborn�s shoulder to make it 7-1.
The Blue Jays out shot the Eagles 26-4 and had the edge in corners (12-0). Mierley finished with two saves to remain unbeaten at 9-0-0 on the season. Sonneborn finshed with nine saves in net for the Eagles.
Hopkins returns to action on Friday, October 12 when Ursinus visits historic Homewood Field. The Centennial Conference match is set for 7:00 pm.
Submitted 2007-10-09 19:35:36 by Johns Hopkins University Sports Information Department
