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John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
MLAX team
The Blue Streaks conclude the year at 14-2.
16
Winner Franklin & Marsh FRANKLIN 8-0
9
John Carroll JOHN CAR 14-2
Winner
Franklin & Marsh FRANKLIN
8-0
16
Final
9
John Carroll JOHN CAR
14-2
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Franklin & Marsh FRANKLIN 5 3 4 4 16
John Carroll JOHN CAR 2 2 1 4 9

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

Diplomats Send Men's Lacrosse Home to End Great Year for Blue Streaks

LANCASTER, Pa. -- Following a thrilling Ohio Athletic Conference Championship victory last weekend, John Carroll Carroll University Men's Lacrosse drew a tough challenge in the First Round of the 2021 NCAA Division III Championships. 

The Blue Streaks suffered a 16-9 defeat to Franklin & Marshall College in the NCAA opener at Shadek Stadium in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 

With the defeat, John Carroll's 2021 campaign ends with a 14-2 record. 

The hosts didn't allow their guests much time to get acclimated. The Diplomats fired out to a lead early on in the game. After a scoreless opening 90 seconds, Franklin & Marshall scored twice within five seconds to earn a quick 2-0 advantage. Bennett Gorman got the Blue Streaks on the board with 12:09 left in the opening quarter. 

Franklin & Marshall added to the advantage at the 8:22 mark, followed by a JCU response again authored by Gorman. But the Blue Streaks couldn't even things up, as the Diplomats scored two more before the end of the first stanza. 

Trailing 5-2 after the first 15 minutes, the Blue Streaks' offense got to work. Matt Berdysiak kicked the team into gear with a goal off a Kevin Hack assist at the 8:51 mark of the second quarter. Skyler Blake scored a few minutes later, narrowing the deficit to 5-4.

But again, the Diplomats prevented the Blue Streaks from knotting the affair. Franklin & Marshall netted back-to-back goals once again, pushing the score to 7-4. In response, Head Coach Joe Rautenstrauch called a timeout to regroup.

The brief break didn't benefit the Blue Streaks. Franklin & Marshall held JCU off the board for the remainder of the half, and added a goal of their own with 33 seconds left. The hosts held an 8-4 lead entering the locker room.  

The Diplomats charged out of the break. Franklin & Marshall scored within the first minute, pushing the margin to five goals. The Diplomats stretched the lead further to 10-4 with 11:47 remaining in the third. 

Berdysiak finally ended the 5-0 Diplomats' run with a goal at the 8:05 mark of the quarter. Morgan Morrell added the assist on Berdysiak's second of the afternoon. But the Diplomats were ready with a response, getting the goal back with a goal at 5:23. Rautenstrauch called a timeout after the tally and JCU trailing 11-5. 

With 3:03 left in the quarter, Franklin & Marshall fired in another one, advancing the lead to 12-5. That score stood entering the final period. 

Blake broke through at the 11:46 mark of the fourth on a picture-perfect goal for the Blue Streaks. But then Franklin & Marshall got the goal back at 10:23, pushing the lead back to seven, 13-6. 

No hats flew on the field, but Berdysiak took plenty of pride in his hat trick, which occurred at 8:18, thanks in part to a Blake helper. The Buffalo native heated up late in the season. Gorman has also been hot late in the season, and he stayed hot with a goal at 7:22. 

Unfortunately, Franklin & Marshall didn't cool off, hurting hopes of a comeback, upping the lead to 14-8. The Blue Streaks still didn't surrender, as Ian Flynn found the back of the net with 2:31. 

The Diplomats left no doubt late, however, adding two late goals for a 16-9 conquest.

The defeat ends the careers of many outstanding Blue Streaks, including the career of the NCAA's leading goal scorer Skyler Blake. Without a doubt, this class of Blue Streaks will be remembered for a long time, winning the OAC Championship every season. They won't soon be forgotten.   
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