If head coach Rachel Dell wanted a less dramatic season opener, she could have scheduled an opponent other than one who won 11 games last year.

Instead, she got an all-you-can-handle effort on the road at Kenyon, and it took extra time for the Blue Streaks to produce a thrilling 11-10 win over the Ladies in Gambier, Ohio, Saturday afternoon.

John Carroll has won two consecutive meetings with Kenyon.

The Ladies ran out to an early 3-0 lead within the first seven minutes of the match.  At the 20:53 mark, John Carroll was able to get on the board for the first time this season with a free position shot from Colleen Grombala.  

The Ladies and Blue Streaks proceeded to trade goals through the next ten minutes, until JCU opened up a 4-1 run with scores from Alex Heishman, Emma Workman, Brittany Pritchard, and Alexis Guage, two of which came with a man-up advantage.  The Blue & Gold were able to finish out the half with a 7-6 lead.

Through the first 20 minutes of the match, the Blue Streaks were sharpshooting, making every one of their seven shots on net before finishing 13 total shots, 12 of which were on goal.  The offensive effort was supported through the 5-4 advantage in the draw control, which efforts were led by Brooke McQuinn (2), Grombala (3), and Workman (2). 

JCU also led the ground ball battle through the first half, outhustling Kenyon 13-10.

After allowing three goals in the first 15 minutes, the Blue Streaks faced 13 more shots, but only five of them were on goal.  With Zablo's two saves, the Blue Streaks provided a staunch defensive effort to only allow two goals the remainder of the half.

Almost seven minutes into the second half, the Ladies tied up the score with a man-up advantage, quickly followed by two John Carroll goals within five minutes from Grombala and Heishman.  Grombala would end the contest with three goals while Heishman would add three goals, an assist and six ground balls.

Nonetheless, Kenyon refused to relent.  The Ladies quickly tied up the match at nine goals apiece, led by Maggie Grabowski, sister of JCU's Sophie Grabowski.

After Brittany Prichford netted her second goal of the contest with 10 minutes remaining, the Blue Streaks held a strong defensive front, allowing only three shots and causing five turnovers until Kenyon was able to sneak a shot past Zablo with just over a minute remaining.  The 10-10 deadlock sent JCU's first game into overtime.

The extra clock did not have to run more than 75 seconds before a Grombala screamer found the back of the Ladies net off a beautiful assist from Brooke McQuinn, giving John Carroll the 11-10 win.  The Blue Streak defense did not allow a single shot in the overtime period and Zablo finished the game with four saves in her book.

John Carroll also finished with a definitive 33-23 advantage in ground balls.

Shannon Oberst had three of JCU's 13 caused turnovers.

Coach Rachel Dell had this to say about the season-opening victory: "I am very happy with the full team effort in today's win. All units played with high intensity and executed the game plan. We are proud of the freshmen and how they had a huge impact all over the field as well as the confidence and composure the team played with in the final minutes of the game."

John Carroll is now 5-0 in season openers under Dell.

The Blue Streaks will take to the field next against at Don Shula Stadium on Saturday March 2nd against Wittenberg University.