Baltimore, Md. -- A pair of third-quarter goals sealed the fate of the No. 13-ranked University of Lynchburg field hockey team Wednesday afternoon, as the Hornets dropped a 2-1 decision to No. 3 Johns Hopkins in a battle of NCAA Division III powerhouse programs.

Both teams played stellar defense in the early going, but Lynchburg was the aggressor, taking four shots to JHU's one in the opening 15 minutes.

Lynchburg (1-2) held the high-powered Blue Jays offense off the board in the first half. The Hornet D yielded just one shot on goal in the first 30, which sophomore goalie Kayla Brady saved.

Johns Hopkins stayed on the offensive in the third period, controlling the pace of play on the Hornets' half of the field, but Lynchburg found a gap in the 39th minute. The Hornets moved the ball up the right sideline, eventually finding Brittany Claybaugh in the arc on the right side of the goal. Covered by defenders, Claybaugh crossed the ball through traffic to Meghan Mayo, who scooped the ball into the left side of the cage for her first collegiate goal.

The Lynchburg lead didn't last long, however. Less than a minute later, Hopkins' Siena Urbanski intercepted a Hornets pass and beat the goalie to tie the game at 1.

As time expired in the third period, the Blue Jays earned a corner to set up a Gen Mehra goal and bring the score to its final 2-1 standing.

Lynchburg fought hard in the fourth to earn four shots and a woman-up opportunity after a JHU yellow card with 7:11 to play, but the Hopkins defense held on for victory.

It was the first meeting between the two programs since Sept. 13, 2008, which was also a 2-1 Johns Hopkins triumph.

Lynchburg's field hockey team will be back on the road Sunday against another ranked opponent, No. 10 Kean. First whistle in Union, N.J. is scheduled for noon.

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--LYN--