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John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
Skyler Blake dodge
Elsie Connell
3
Otterbein OTTM 11-4
10
Winner John Carroll JCUM 13-1
Otterbein OTTM
11-4
3
Final
10
John Carroll JCUM
13-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Otterbein OTTM 1 0 2 0 3
John Carroll JCUM 3 2 2 3 10

Game Recap: Men's Lacrosse | | Luke Potosky and Kyle Kelly, Staff Writers

Men's Lacrosse Reaches OAC Championship Game for 5th Straight Year

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Once again, the friendly confines of Don Shula Stadium made it an unwelcome stay for an opposing team in an Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament game. 

For the fifth consecutive season, John Carroll University Men's Lacrosse advanced to the OAC Tournament Championship following a 10-3 victory over Otterbein University at "The Shu" on May 6. The Blue and Gold improved to 13-1 on the season and 6-1 in the conference semifinals. 

JCU has also protected Wasmer Field with a 6-0 record vs. the Cardinals.  

John Carroll is set to face Baldwin Wallace in the championship game in Berea this coming Saturday, May 8. The Blue Streaks split with the Yellow Jackets during the 2021 regular season. 

Early on in the game, John Carroll relied on its two top goal scorers, Skyler Blake (92 goals) and Matt Berdysiak (30 goals), to spurn the scoring. The best opportunities at those goals came near the Cardinals' crease. 

To no surprise, the NCAA's leading goal scorer, Blake, broke the silence 6:05 into the game with a nifty goal that snuck by Zach Groene and gave the Blue Streaks the opening 1-0 lead. The assist came from Matt Berdysiak, who recorded his fifth career hat trick with three goals in the game.

Berdysiak's first goal came with 3:01 to play in the opening quarter, as he danced around Groene to answer Otterbein's lone score in the first half. His goal gave the Blue Streaks back the lead (2-1), one in which they never surrendered. 

With less than 10 seconds remaining in the first stanza, Blake's magic was on full display. As the clock wound down, Blake snagged the ball 15 yards behind the net and sprinted forward to beat Groene for the second time of the quarter. JCU led 3-1 at the end of the first. 

Less than two minutes into the second quarter, veteran Bennett Gorman gave the Blue and Gold some breathing room (4-1) with his 18th goal of the season. Berdysiak tacked on another near the midway point of the half to increase the lead to four. JCU held control of the lead 5-1 at the break.

Through 30 minutes, the OAC's top goalkeeper, Ian Venard, recorded three saves. Adam Grant finished the goaltending duties for the remaining half-hour and tallied eight saves.

In the second half, the younger Blue Streaks got their taste of OAC Tournament success. Initially, Otterbein found the back of the net 5:40 into the third quarter to narrow the lead to three but Sam Rodgers and Matt Russo answered with a pair of goals to put JCU up 7-2.

Ottebein scored once more in the third quarter but the Blue and Gold offense found their rhythm in the final 15 minutes with three goals in the final quarter. Morgan Morrell and Ian Flynn each found the back net and Berdysiak scored his third. 

Grant and the John Carroll defense played excellently in shutting down Otterbein late. Grant made 8 saves, many of them clutch. Clayton Karam helmed the JCU defense with an impressive 5 caused turnovers. Ian Venard also enjoyed a banner day, with an 8-for-14 game in faceoffs and 5 ground balls.

With the win, the Blue Streaks improved to an undefeated 8-0 on their home turf in OAC Tournament games. John Carroll has not lost an OAC postseason game since 2015. Baldwin Wallace will provide JCU its toughest test yet on Saturday. 
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