3rd October 2009
Johns Hopkins 8 - University of Buffalo 0
An Agreeable Business for the Boys
By Bobby DyeA re-pairing of last week’s heart-stopping classic, the main event of Saturday’s round robin between two top-notch sides promised no less than 90 minutes of non-stop action. Impatient from a day of waiting and second-tier games, Hopkins and Buffalo club fanatics alike roared from the stands as soon as the first boot touched the pitch.
The blow of the starting whistle had barely stopped resonating when a second whistle awarded Hopkins a free kick 30 yards from the visitors’ goalmouth. “Big” Bob Hamilton approached the ball briskly with a goal-scorer’s attitude uncharacteristic of a center back. By bending a rocket deftly through the outstretched fingertips of the opposing keeper, he opened the floodgates for an onslaught of goals from the home side. Captain Chris de Laiglesia managed four tallies on the score-sheet by the end of the first half, sufficiently transforming the match into a primetime airing of The Chris de Laiglesia Show, or so it would seem.
In a halftime discussion with an anonymous Hopkins representative, de Laiglesia’s signing to and captaincy of the Blue Jays was revealed as a publicity stunt aimed at opening up the Asian market for the sale of to-be-determined Hopkins replica jerseys. Teammates of de Laiglesia are rumored to suffer the striker’s incessant goal-poaching and off-field antics in order to elevate club income. In light of such questionable management procedures, de Laiglesia’s would-be impressive statistics have been downplayed in all but the least savory NIRSA fixtures.
That being said, the second forty-five began as a demoralized Buffalo squad reclaimed their positions against a now clearly superior Hopkins eleven. Hopkins fullbacks were determined not to relinquish a single goal. Andrew Henry asserted his position as a monster in the air, Brian Seo and Stephen Dunlap proved themselves to be clever outside backs, and Patrick Sise avoided racking up yet another own goal. Stalwart defense joined Spencer Macgriff’s two scintillating finishes (and de Laiglesia’s fifth of the match) to tell the tale of the last half. Macgriff’s first, assisted by club veteran John “MacElveezy”, was a cool-headed punishment of a Buffalo defense who failed to establish dominance in their own penalty area. Macgriff taught them a second lesson in marking shortly after, as he adequately volleyed a scorcher off of a well-taken corner kick from Nick Khan. Buffalo players could not leave the field soon enough, as they struggled the rest of the 90 minutes against talented young reserves Alec Fisher, Jon Preminger, and Lorenz Seebacher. Goalkeeper Sheldon Edwards was content to achieve a clean sheet.
The promise of a non-stop, action-packed match was kept, although in a manner divergent from pregame expectations. Hopkins club supporters across the globe have nothing to complain about as their team’s record improves to 9-0-0.
