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John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
Nicholas Graeca PK vs. OWU
Jose Figueroa
Nicholas Graeca scored the lone goal for John Carroll. 
1
Ohio Wesleyan OWU (4-2-1, 0-0-0)
1
John Carroll JCU (5-1-1, 0-0-0)
Ohio Wesleyan OWU
(4-2-1, 0-0-0)
1
Final
1
John Carroll JCU
(5-1-1, 0-0-0)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Ohio Wesleyan OWU 1 0 1
John Carroll JCU 1 0 1

Game Recap: Men's Soccer | | Matt Lyons, Senior Staff Writer

Diving Saves and Crossbars Rung: Blue Streaks Tie Ohio Wesleyan

Back and forth battle results in John Carroll Blue Streaks tie against Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS -- As another golden hour goes by with a Men's Soccer kickoff, the Blue Streaks hope to stay hot with their 5th straight win. Due to their recent success, JCU was ranked #23 in the United Soccer Rankings. The ranking comes with a strong McCarthy weekend, where the Blue Streaks were able to defeat Stockton University 3-0 and Trine University 5-1. 

For the Battling Bishops, this would be their third Ohio Athletic Conference matchup in a row, with their most recent being a 4-2 win against Otterbein.

Before the game started, Head Coach Dejan Mladenovic and the John Carroll Coaching crew honored Ohio Wesleyan's head coach Jay Martin before the match. Martin announced his retirement from coaching after his 47th season as Head Coach of the Men's Soccer program. Martin is the winningest coach in NCAA soccer history with 766 wins up to this game. 

After the short ceremony, both teams were eager to get on the board early. And as the starting eleven went out to the pitch ready to go, Christopher Guerra went to the center circle for Ohio Wesleyan to start things off. 

As expected, both teams had opportunities early on. Each team traded corner kicks as well as a deep throw-in taken by senior Cade Gergye. But the defenses were able to hold their grounds.

The first true attempt came in the 10th minute. A deep foul by the Blue Streaks gave a great position for a free kick deep in the zone. Landon Kuhn would take the free kick, but it was cleared out by senior Nicholas Graeca and the Blue Streaks. 

The first attempt came for the Blue Streaks in the 19th minute with a corner kick, but the Battling Bishops cleared the ball as soon as it came in. 

When it came to the first half of the matchup, the ball was a magnet to midfield. There was a lot of possession in the midfield and there was only one shot and zero shots on goal in the first 25 minutes. 

With both teams trying to get something outside of the midfield magnet, it was Ohio Wesleyan to be the first team to get on the board. 

Dribbling through a pair of defenders, senior Franklin Rodriguez had a small window to put a shot on net from 30 yards out. Despite the diving effort by goalie Dominic Groblar, Rodriguez found the upper left corner to make it a 1-0 lead for the Battling Bishops. 

Down a goal, the Blue Streaks were still able to fight. After a 50/50 ball successfully landed on a Blue Streaks foot, freshman Dylan Halm got a shot off at the end of the box. Unfortunately for Halm, the ball found the hands of Sam Whittman.

Keeping the fire on the goalie, Guilherme Wanderley put a shot towards the goal seconds later, but his shot went wide for a goal kick.

The Blue Streaks kept the offensive effort coming. Graeca made a move to get a shot, but it just went wide. Keeping the offensive efforts coming, Louis Roseberry crossed the ball into the box to Jack Foht, but the Erie native's shot just went wide. 

As time ticked down in the first half, it seemed the Battling Bishops were about to take a 1-0 lead into the half. Enter Nicholas Graeca.

As PA Announcer Jamie Dailey started his ten second rundown, Patrick Koenig threw a Hail Mary style throw-in into the box. Touching a pair of Blue Streaks and Battling Bishops, it found the senior captain at the edge of the box. Graeca's touch found the netting in the middle right of the net to tie the game at one with 3.6 seconds left on the clock. 

As both teams went into halftime, it was as even as it gets. John Carroll led in shots 7-3 and shots on goal 3-2. Head Coaches Jay Martin and Dejan Mladenovic both knew that this game would come down to coaching. And as Graeca went to the center circle, the second half was underway.

And just like the first half, both teams got right back where they started. Ohio Wesleyan's Ryan Betts put a great attempt on Grobler, but he was able to get gloves on them. To counter for the Blue Streaks, Hayden Haffner put a shot on net as well, but likewise, the shot was saved by the keeper. 

As the game kept going, it was harder for the offenses to get opportunities. It seemed that they only came once in a blue moon. It was not until the 60th minute where Haffner was able to beat a couple defenders, but had one touch too many, as it was cleared out by the Battling Bishops. 

Efforts kept coming by both teams, and the next one that came in stride was by the Blue Streaks. Catching Whittman off guard in the 64th minute, Koenig was able to go one-on-one with the goalie and he tried to roll it out to his defender. But Whitman's diving efforts were there for the first stop. The rebound rolled right to Wanderley in stride. But the junior put too much power on the ball, as the shot that seemed to go and hit the crossbar. 

Despite the best opportunity in the game to fall short, the Blue Streaks were able to keep their offensive efforts going. Foht was able to get another opportunity a minute later, but another save kept the game tied. 

As one team hit the crossbar, so did the other. On a beautiful through ball by Ohio Wesleyan, Aiden Wightman was on an unexpected one-on-one with the keeper. The junior's shot was able to beat the diving Grobler, but the right crossbar rejected the goal, keeping the game tied with over 20 minutes remaining. 

Despite the crossbar, the Blue Streaks were able to keep the offensive momentum rolling. Halm put up a shot, but it was blocked by the defense. He did not give up, as he put another shot on net. Playing the ball in the box, it tipped a couple Bishops, but Whitman's dive tipped the ball and it went above the net, adding to the list of great saves for the junior goalkeeper. 

After the shot by Halm, the Blue Streaks received a corner kick. Putting service into the box, the Blue Streaks were able to draw a foul in the box and were awarded a penalty kick. After quick thinking, the Blue Streaks chose Graeca to take the penalty. Looking into the goalie, Whitman was able to dive and make a save on Graeca's shot, but Whitman jumped too early. So, the two lined up again. Penalty attempt number two went in favor of Whitman, as he was able to step up and make a second save at the line against Graeca. 

After the rush of an offensive effort by the Blue Streaks, the game slowed down for a little bit. The surge of the Blue Streaks seemed to quiet down in the remaining 15 minutes. With the game quieting down, the midfield magnet came back from the first half. 

Every ball that was sent into the Shula Stadium sky had multiple players going for it. Both teams knew that every ball needed to be won to keep their chances of winning the game alive.

But as the surge of the midfield magnet grew stronger, and the clock on the scoreboard was too much for both teams. And as time ticked down, it was too late for either team to find the back of the net. 

Despite the score being 1-1, John Carroll outshot OWU 12-4 and shots on goal 7-1. Sam Whittman was able to record 9 saves in the Battling Bishop's effort to walk out of University Heights with a tie. 

The Blue Streaks hope to get back in the win column this weekend as they face Lycoming College at 4pm on Saturday, September 21. 
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