Matt Collison wasn’t sure what the call would be. But when the officials ruled it a goal, Johns Hopkins men’s lacrosse had its defining moment.
Collison, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound senior midfielder from Scarborough, Ontario, has been a key piece for Hopkins. After scoring 21 goals and dishing out 12 assists in 2025, he has continued to be a steady, reliable presence in the Blue Jays’ midfield.
Late in the Hopkins’ rivalry win against Maryland at Homewood Field on April 18, Collins turned in one of the most unusual plays of the college lacrosse season. Collison drove toward the cage and released a shot as his stick flew out of his hands. The ball went into the net, but confusion followed immediately.
Collison hesitated, unsure if the play would result in a goal, a penalty, or no call at all. Officials ultimately ruled it a goal.
“I definitely didn’t intend to do that. I didn’t intend to launch my stick at the goal,” Collison said on Glenn Clark Radio April 22. “I honestly didn’t know what they were going to call. There’s been some controversy with it. I didn’t know if I should start celebrating or if I should start getting back on defense — or if I got a penalty or anything. But they ended up calling it a goal so, a goal is a goal.”
The play quickly made its rounds online and sparked debate. The NCAA later said the goal should not have counted, but Hopkins’ 9-8 victory stood.
“Obviously, I’m biased. I think it was a great call,” Collison said. “But we can leave that up to interpretation. The game’s over so, whether anyone believes in it or not, it still counts.”
Beyond the controversy, the win carried weight for the Blue Jays, who moved to 8-4 entering the Big Ten tournament. For a senior group chasing postseason momentum, it meant more than just another result.
“You couldn’t really write it any better,” Collison said. “It means the world. Everything aside, that game is something special. You’ve got to respect the history behind it. … When Hopkins-Maryland plays, the game grows. So, it’s definitely meaningful to be a part of that history to start and then obviously to win is another thing, too.”
That result now feeds directly into what comes next. Hopkins is the top seed in the Big Ten tournament and will face Michigan in the semifinals on April 30 at 3 p.m., with postseason positioning on the line.
“Obviously that win does a lot more for us than just our record,” Collison said. “I personally have never had a single doubt about this group. We love each other too much. We have too much talent up and down the field. It’s really just a special group.”
For Collison and the rest of Hopkins’ senior class, the urgency is clear. The Blue Jays want to reach Memorial Day weekend for the first time since 2015.
“Success as a whole, when you break it down, is the most important thing, especially being a senior,” he said. “That’s really all you can tolerate.”
That perspective has shaped how Hopkins is approaching the postseason.
“Just taking it week by week, practice by practice, pass by pass,” Collison said. “Just preparing yourself as if every single weekend is the national championship … and if they say you have another game, then you have another game.”
For more from Collison, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Johns Hopkins Athletics