The Daily OrangeSU takes upper hand in Hopkins rivalry with 3rd-straight win
By Matthew Ehalt
Posted: 3/17/09, 2:38 AM EST Section: Sports
For a player who said Syracuse and Johns Hopkins contests might as well be called Duke and North Carolina basketball contests, Syracuse midfielder Jovan Miller was surprisingly nonchalant following Saturday's contest against the Blue Jays.
Despite all the buildup and prestige entering the meeting between the No. 2 Orange and then-No. 6 Blue Jays, Miller almost relegated the game to that of a simple non-conference matchup. A game between the two teams that determined last season's national title last season and one that Miller said had more hate, almost seemed trivial.
"I approach every game like it's the national championship and that's what we all did," Miller said. "I think our team came out and played very well and it was a normal game for us and we just executed."
Perhaps that's what winning three straight contests in such a series does to excitement, because for just the second time in school history, Syracuse defeated Johns Hopkins in three consecutive games. The last time Syracuse won three in a row against Hopkins was in 1988. This year's win seemed to cool the rivalry mentality - at least on the Syracuse sidelines.
"We both lost a lot to graduation this year and we're both different teams this year as compared to last year," senior midfielder Matt Abbott said. "And we were fortunate to get the win today."
Coming into Saturday's contest, the schools combined for 19 national championships. Each had won five of the previous 10 meetings and no team had won three straight since SU last did in the late '80s. The prestige was certainly there.
The bulletin board material showed up as well. Before the game, Miller told The Post-Standard the Blue Jays and Orange contest was a matchup of teams who hate each other the most, and that once one puts on a Syracuse jersey, it's almost as if they suddenly loathe the Blue Jays.
Miller backpedaled Saturday, and said he misspoke, and he meant a "mutual respect" instead of a hate between the two schools. Johns Hopkins coach Dave Pietramala, who along with his players acknowledged they heard of the quotes, would not express his thoughts.
Despite all the buildup and prestige entering the meeting between the No. 2 Orange and then-No. 6 Blue Jays, Miller almost relegated the game to that of a simple non-conference matchup. A game between the two teams that determined last season's national title last season and one that Miller said had more hate, almost seemed trivial.
"I approach every game like it's the national championship and that's what we all did," Miller said. "I think our team came out and played very well and it was a normal game for us and we just executed."
Perhaps that's what winning three straight contests in such a series does to excitement, because for just the second time in school history, Syracuse defeated Johns Hopkins in three consecutive games. The last time Syracuse won three in a row against Hopkins was in 1988. This year's win seemed to cool the rivalry mentality - at least on the Syracuse sidelines.
"We both lost a lot to graduation this year and we're both different teams this year as compared to last year," senior midfielder Matt Abbott said. "And we were fortunate to get the win today."
Coming into Saturday's contest, the schools combined for 19 national championships. Each had won five of the previous 10 meetings and no team had won three straight since SU last did in the late '80s. The prestige was certainly there.
The bulletin board material showed up as well. Before the game, Miller told The Post-Standard the Blue Jays and Orange contest was a matchup of teams who hate each other the most, and that once one puts on a Syracuse jersey, it's almost as if they suddenly loathe the Blue Jays.
Miller backpedaled Saturday, and said he misspoke, and he meant a "mutual respect" instead of a hate between the two schools. Johns Hopkins coach Dave Pietramala, who along with his players acknowledged they heard of the quotes, would not express his thoughts.
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