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John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
Donalson vs. OTT
Adam Lenz
Donalson spearheaded a strong JCU defensive effort.
8
Otterbein OTTW 9-6
18
Winner John Carroll JCUW 15-1
Otterbein OTTW
9-6
8
Final
18
John Carroll JCUW
15-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Otterbein OTTW 2 6 8
John Carroll JCUW 7 11 18

Game Recap: Women's Lacrosse | | Joe Ginley '16, SID

Women's Lacrosse Wins First OAC Tourney Game, Advancing to Title

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio -- The hex has been lifted.

On Thursday evening, for the first time in program history, John Carroll University Women's Lacrosse triumphed in an Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament game.

The Blue Streaks sprinted past Otterbein in the OAC Semifinal, 18-8, inside the friendly confines Don Shula Stadium. 

In the first five years of the program's existence, JCU Women's Lacrosse reached the semifinals by merit of finishing top four in the conference. All five times, the Blue Streaks were defeated, twice by just one goal. But these 2021 Blue Streaks are just different. Anyone who's watched Rachel Dell's Blue Streaks this season has felt a sense of destiny about this team, with outstanding senior playmakers and youth with outstanding energy.

One of the team's ringleaders, Colleen Grombala, got the hosts on the board early. The grad student fired a free position goal into the back of the net just 80 seconds into the game.

Otterbein provided a response with two goals in quick succession, then called a timeout with 21:04 left. The Cardinals held the lead for another three minutes until Lainey Donalson scored to tie it at two. Grombala stole the lead back near the halfway point of the first half on a free position goal following an Otterbein yellow card.

John Carroll never again trailed in the game.

Grombala struck again at 14:45 off a Donalson assist. Olivia Gerlach got in on the action a few minutes later, helped by Alex Heishman. Neither team touched the twine for the next nine minutes until Kendall Gessner tallied a marker on the free position shot. Heishman fired in a goal with two minutes left in the half, sending JCU into the break with a 7-2 advantage.

Otterbein scored about two-and-a-half minutes into the second half, followed by a Donalson score on a free position goal. Just 30 seconds later, Otterbein responded, and scored again with 22:56 left in the half, narrowing the advantage to 8-5.

The Cardinals looked to be poised to tie it or even take the lead, but then Grombala took the game over. The Michigander turned into a one-woman wrecking crew, firing in two goals within the span of 24 seconds, pushing the advantage to 10-5. The quick goals broke Otterbein's back and reminded folks of who the best player on the field is.

Otterbein won the following draw control, but JCU's defense stood strong, and Olivia Gerlach went to work. She marked two quick goals, with Hannah Rust helping on the first one and Olivia Hanulak assisting on the second.

With 19:44 left, John Carroll led, 12-5, and sat squarely in the driver's seat. Five minutes later, Heishman found twine, and Otterbein replied with a quick goal. But again, Heishman provided the answers, with two goals to set the advantage at 15-6.

Maddy Eifert then scored a nice goal for JCU, but the goal was waved off. Otterbein got back on the board with a free position goal, but then Grombala notched a FP goal of her own. Olivia Hanulak initiated the running clock with seven minutes left, and Donalson scored the final JCU goal of the night with 4:32 left.

Kaleigh Kotula earned the win in net, making 9 special saves in the win. Kotula stood strong against some incredible chances. Defensively, Molly Carroll played well with 3 caused turnovers and 3 ground balls. Mary Doherty notched 5 draw controls, tied with Grombala. 

Grombala unsurprisingly led the scoring, looking superhuman in nabbing 6 goals. Heishman followed with 4 goals, while Donalson and Gerlach also netted hat tricks. Heishman also added 5 ground balls and 3 caused turnovers, while Donalson played excellently with 3 ground balls, 1 caused turnover, and 1 draw control.

The Blue Streaks will now turn their attention to their rivals from Alliance. John Carroll hosts Mount Union on Saturday at 5 p.m. The Purple Raiders have never lost an OAC Tournament game. JCU will look to change that and make history at Shula Stadium. 
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