BALTIMORE - The UMBC men's lacrosse team battled 11th-ranked Johns Hopkins to a near standstill through 30 minutes, but the Blue Jays wore down the Retrievers and prevailed, 19-7, before a season-high 1,362 fans at UMBC Stadium.

Hopkins led from the start, but the Retrievers closed to 4-3 after one quarter and 7-6 at halftime. UMBC senior attackman Nate Lewnes (Arnold, Md./St. Mary's) scored all three of his goals in the first half as the Retrievers converted on six of 13 shots attempts in the first 30 minutes.

Despite the best efforts of junior goalkeeper Ruston Souder (Pasadena, Md./Chesapeake), making his first start of the season, the Blue Jays took decided control of the face-off circle in the fourth quarter and outscored UMBC, 8-0, in the frame to earn the decided advantage.

Souder stopped 16 JHU shots, one shy of his career high of 17, which he recorded versus Lafayette in 2015.

Hopkins got out to a 3-1 lead, but Lewnes netted his first goal of the game at the 9:17 mark of the first quarter, converting a Jack Gannon feed, to trim the deficit to one goal. After the Blue Jays re-took a two-goal advantage at the 12:36 mark, Lewnes converted on a slick passing play from junior attackman Max Maxwell (Hamburg, N.Y.) off a clear with just 4.4 seconds to play in the period to give UMBC the momentum headed to the second.

UMBC answered the visitors twice in the second quarter, as Lewnes and Maxwell responded with back-to-back goals after JHU struck twice in the first 3:37 of the frame. After Hopkins' Wilkins Dismuke gave Hopkins a 7-5 lead with 6:51 to play in the period, Retriever sophomore defender Billy O'Hara (Davidsonville, Md./South River) picked up a ground ball on the ensuing face-off, dashed down the alley and netted his first collegiate goal just nine seconds later.

Hopkins built the lead to 10-6 in the third quarter, before freshman attackman Jack Andrews (Arnold, Md./St. Mary's) replied on a Maxwell pass with 4:30 to play in the period. But that would be the Retrievers' final score of the night, as Hopkins controlled seven-of-nine fourth quarter draws and scored a pair of extra-man goals to put the contest out of reach.

Maxwell added a goal and two assists for UMBC, while Andrews also scored in double figures, netting a goal and adding a helper. O'Hara led the Retrievers with six ground balls, while causing two Hopkins turnovers. The Blue Jays committed 14 miscues, while UMBC limited its turnovers to 11.

Senior attackman Ryan Brown led JHU with four goals and two assists. Hopkins controlled 21 of 29 draws during the game.  

UMBC will compete in another non-conference contest on Saturday, when they travel to Easton, Pa., to take on Lafayette. The opening face-off is set for 1:00 p.m.