TOWSON, Md. – Senior midfielder Brian Christopher (Springfield H.S./Springfield, Pa.) scored the game-winning goal with 1.2 seconds remaining in the second overtime period as seventh-ranked Johns Hopkins University (7-4) rallied from a four-goal deficit to win its fourth game in a row, an 11-10 double overtime victory over Towson University (6-8) at the Tigers' Johnny Unitas Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Christopher, who scored the second overtime goal of his career, gave the Blue Jays the victory with a shot from eight yards out that bounced over the right shoulder of junior goalkeeper Rob Wheeler (Friends School/Baltimore, Md.).

"Our kids played their guts out tonight," Towson Coach Tony Seaman said. "Everybody on our team played as well as they could play. We had some opportunities tonight, especially in the overtimes, but we didn't win it."

The Tigers jumped out to a 2-0 lead late in the first quarter when seniors Randall Cooper (Friends School/Phoenix, Md.) and Justin Schneider (St. Mary's H.S./Stevensville, Md.) scored past junior goalkeeper Michael Gvozden (Severna Park H.S./Millersville, Md.).

With 1:15 remaining in the first quarter, junior attackman Steven Boyle (Pinkerton Academy/Derry, N.H.) narrowed the Johns Hopkins deficit to 2-1 with his 18th goal of the season.

After the teams exchanged just 25 seconds apart late in the second quarter, the Tigers extended their lead to 5-2 with back-to-back goals from sophomore Tim Stratton (Manheim Township H.S./Lititz, Pa.) and freshman Matt Lamon (St. Mary's H.S./Annapolis, Md.). The Blue Jays cut the margin to 5-3 with 26 seconds left in the first half when sophomore attackman Kyle Wharton (Haverford School/Great Valley, Pa.) scored off a feed from junior midfielder Michael Kimmel (Loyola Blakefield H.S./Towson, Md.).

The Tigers upped their lead to 7-3 when Cooper and junior midfielder Pat Britton (Seneca Valley H.S./Germantown, Md.) tallied consecutive goals, but Kimmel answered just 20 seconds later with an unassisted marker to close the gap to 7-4.

After a goal by senior attackman Bill McCutcheon (Chatham H.S./Chatham, N.J.) extended the Tigers' lead to 8-4, Wharton and junior attackman Chris Boland (Boys' Latin School/Columbia, Md.) answered for the Blue Jays with a pair of goals just over a minute apart for an 8-6 Towson advantage.

Schneider regained the Tigers' three-goal advantage with just three seconds left in the third quarter when he scored off a feed from Lamon.

Trailing by 9-6 at the start of the fourth quarter, the Blue Jay offense worked to tie the game with three straight goals. With 13:42 left in regulation, senior midfielder Mark Bryan (Niskayuna H.S./Niskayuna, N.Y.) scored an unassisted goal to trim the Towson lead to 9-7. After senior attackman Josh Peck (Broadneck H.S./Annapolis, Md.) converted an extra-man opportunity with five minutes remaining, Kimmel tied the game with 3:49 left by scoring an unassisted goal.

With 3:24 remaining, McCutcheon scored off an assist from Cooper to regain the Tigers' one-goal cushion, but Christopher responded by tallying the game-tying goal with 2:12 left to force the overtime.

In the first overtime period, the Tigers had their best opportunity with 3:22 remaining but a shot by Britton was saved by Gvozden to preserve the tie. On the ensuing possession, the Blue Jays had three chances to win, including a shot by Boyle that was stopped by Wheeler with 1:31 remaining in the stanza.

Each team traded shots in the opening minute of the second overtime period before the Blue Jays gained an extra-man opportunity after a penalty was called against junior midfielder Will Harrington (Friends School/Baltimore, Md.). However, Wheeler and the Tiger defense withstood two shots before forcing a turnover to kill the penalty.

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2009-04-23