Baltimore County (Map, News) - Loyola knows it can play much better than it did last week when it lost by four goals to mediocre Hobart — and it will have to prove it this afternoon.

That’s when the 16th-ranked Greyhounds will host fifth-ranked Johns Hopkins at Diane Geppi-Aikens Field at 1 in front of a national television audience on ESPNU and ABC.

“The Loyola team we're going to see is not going to be the same team that lost to Hobart," Johns Hopkins midfielder Stephen Peyser said. "They are going to be ready to play. This rivalry is too big and they want to have this win going into the tournament."

Loyola (7-5) clinched its second straight berth in the 16-team NCAA Tournament by winning the Eastern College Athletic Conference. Johns Hopkins (7-5), which at one point lost five straight games, has rebounded to win its past four and all but assure itself one of nine at-large spots in the field for the 37th straight year.

Postseason security, however, will do little to subside the expected intensity as the pair play for Charles Street bragging rights, Greyhounds coach Charley Toomey said. Loyola, which hasn’t beaten the Blue Jays in eight games dating to 1999, has played their Baltimore City rival in the final game of the regular season each of the past 10 years and 15 of the past 16.

And Loyola is just 3-12 against their rival 1.2 miles to the south since 1994.

“The past few years it’s been ‘hey we [probably] need to win to get in the tournament,’” Toomey said. “This year it’s not a must-win for either program and it’s a rivalry game.”

Toomey has emphasized the importance of winning faceoffs and ground balls all season for his team — two areas the defending national champion Blue Jays and Peyser excel.

The All-American candidate has won 101-of-174 faceoffs he’s taken this year and is ranked first in Division I by averaging 7.45 ground balls per game. Loyola senior midfielder Tim McDermott, however, has been just as good at the skill this season, winning 102-of-171 faceoffs.

But McDermott missed the 10-6 loss at Hobart with an undisclosed injury and Toomey says the 6-foot, 190-pounder is re-evaluated each day. His status for today’s game uncertain.

The matchup also features Loyola’s standout freshman goalie Jake Hagelin against Johns Hopkins’ senior midfielder Paul Rabil.

Hagelin, a former Boys’ Latin standout, has a 7.76 goals-against average and a solid .583 save percentage. Rabil, an All-American who still is a National Player of the Year candidate, has 21 goals and 11 assists.

“It’s one of those games that excitement kind of takes its course — I mean it’s Hopkins we are facing,” Toomey said. “You have to be ready to play out there.”

dcarey@baltimoreexaminer.com