The Battle of Charles Street is one of the most popular and highly anticipated athletic events at Loyola. Held on Feb. 14, the Loyola Greyhounds faced the No. 15 nationally ranked Johns Hopkins Blue Jays. The event drew Loyola students clad in green and grey to Homewood Field as they piled onto yellow school buses and walked in swarms down Charles Street, cultivating the passionate energy early in the day.
The two teams have met 62 times for the occasion since the rivalry sparked in May 1939. Although Loyola has won only 10 times in this 87-year history, fans continue to show up and show out. The matchup continues to draw some of the largest home-game crowds for either team, with an average attendance of about 4,116 over the last 10 matchups. Notably, it was these last 10 games in which Loyola earned five of their victories, keeping the rivalry alive. This year, 3,098 people made it out for the game, many of whom were current Loyola students and alumni. For many Loyola fans, this competitive atmosphere is exactly what they look forward to.
Jade Ascher ‘26 felt the pull of the game’s energy.
“I love the intensity of it all. It’s all about the intensity that the Loyola lacrosse team has on the field and the fan energy that we bring in the stands,” Ascher said.
Johns Hopkins took a commanding 5-0 lead early, upsetting hopeful Loyola fans who wished to see their team strike first. The Greyhounds fought back hard to cut the lead to three, scoring two goals in the span of just a minute at the end of the first quarter.
Although some were discouraged by the rough start, fans come in knowing these games will not be easy, and that does not scare them away.
Jake Cordes ‘26, who has attended every Battle of Charles Street game since arriving at Loyola, appreciates the fun of the competition.
“It’s always a lot of fun and usually a pretty close game. I love to see the back and forth every year. I always look forward to the competition between them because it creates such a great environment,” said Cordes.
However, the Blue Jays steadily kept their lead, eventually building the margin to seven after the Greyhounds failed to catch up in the second quarter and went scoreless in the third. Loyola managed to outscore Johns Hopkins 2-1 in the fourth quarter, though this proved to be too late and only cut the deficit by one goal, leaving the score at 7-13 in favor of the Blue Jays.
Despite the loss, the fans never wavered in their support, erupting in ovations of encouragement and celebration with each goal and defensive play made. The Loyola crowd was nothing short of rowdy, as they echoed raucous cheers throughout the stadium to make their presence known at the away game, just as they would at home. The crowd chanted that birds were not real, a reference to the Johns Hopkins mascot.
It seems this is the spirit the game brings out in the Loyola community, and Emily Flanagan ‘26, attending her last rivalry contest as a Loyola student, believes this spirit needs to be nurtured by each new class at the university. Flanagan, who has never missed the matchup in her four years here, hopes first years and incoming students will carry on this passion.
“Embrace it all. Embrace the rivalry … Birds aren’t real,” Flanagan said.
It is clear that the allure extends beyond when students leave campus, as many alumni return to watch the game in person. Ben Sala ‘25 is among these, and, for him, it is the history that makes each matchup so captivating.
“My favorite thing is just the tradition of it all. I mean it’s so fun that people come back for it every year, even after they graduate,” Sala said.
One recognizable fan appeared in the stands, former Greyhound men’s lacrosse superstar and current Golden State Warrior Pat Spencer ‘19, who came to show his support during the NBA All-Star break.
Men’s Lacrosse Attackman Will McCulloch ‘26 says the team surely felt the sting of the loss as it means so much to the program, but they are optimistic about their upcoming games and the opportunity to prove themselves moving forward.
“We are bitter about the result, but we recognize that there is a long season ahead. We are confident in the guys we have in the locker room and the culture we have created,” McCulloch said.
While the Greyhound’s first two games of the season have resulted in a loss, these defeats came at the hands of ranked opponents who are possibly the strongest foes the team may face this regular season. With 12 regular season games ahead of them, the team has time to improve their record and make their passionate fans proud.
The Greyhounds will take on UMBC in Catonsville Friday, Feb. 20 at 6 p.m.