Following their first regular-season title, John Carroll men's lacrosse had already achieved a major program benchmark. After Wednesday night, the Blue Streaks are one step away from the biggest victory of all.
With a 15-8 win over the visiting Capital Crusaders in the Ohio Athletic Conference semifinal game, the top-seeded Blue Streaks men's lacrosse team is one win away from becoming the Ohio Athletic Conference tournament champions
JCU now advances their consecutive winning streak to six, recording their 11th win of the season. The Capital Crusaders drop to 12-6 on the season.
The Crusaders jumped out to a two goal lead early, striking the back of the JCU net twice within the first five minutes. Junior's
Declan O'Grady and
Michael Hubert quickly answered the bell, by each scoring a goal in the following four minutes. Back-and-forth goals were exchanged to follow, one of which was by sophomore
Collin Rice of JCU, to draw a 4-3 score at the end of the first quarter, in favor of the Capital Crusaders.
JCU won the second quarter face off, but Capital's Nick Hess added on to the Capital lead with eight minutes remaining in the half. Junior
Dakota Thomas brought the Blue Streaks within one goal in the second period, as Hubert gained his 54th point of the year off of the assist, to make the intermission score 5-4 in favor of the Crusaders.
Capital lead JCU at half time in shots, clears, ground balls, face off wins, and forced turnovers. Sophomore
Connor Pike brought the match back to a draw, as he found the back of the Capital net at the two and a half minute mark of the third quarter. The action continued as Thomas (2) and Hubert advanced the Blue Streak lead to two, 7-5. The back-and-forth rally persisted as two Crusader goals were scored in a 61 second span. JCU and Capital each tallied three more goals, including one from Hubert to give him a hat trick, to bring the score to 10-8 at the end of the third quarter.
JCU's peppered Capital in the fourth, as the Blue Streaks exploded on a 7-2 run. Hubert fired his fourth goal of the game, and
Declan O'Grady garnered a hat trick with seven minutes remaining in the match. One more tally was added with under a minute to play, as sophomore
RP Whitty tacked on another goal for good measure.
With the win, JCU advances to the championship game to take on Otterbein College. The Cardinals scored a go-ahead goal with 30 seconds remaining to beat the #2 seed in the tournament, Baldwin Wallace University.
The JCU-Otterbein championship game will take place this Saturday at 7:00 p.m. on Wasmer Field at Don Shula Stadium. Ticket prices and a full preview will be posted at JCUSports.com.
