Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
3
Winner Denison DEN (13-1-3, 5-1-2)
0
John Carroll JCU (7-8-4, 3-3-2)
Winner
Denison DEN
(13-1-3, 5-1-2)
3
Final
0
John Carroll JCU
(7-8-4, 3-3-2)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Denison DEN 1 2 3
John Carroll JCU 0 0 0
Andrew Massucci vs. Denison 11-1-25
Jose Figueroa

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

Season Concludes with Home Loss to #15 Denison for Men's Soccer

The defeat knocked JCU out of NCAC Tournament contention

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS – If you told John Carroll Men's Soccer at the start of the season that the team would play at home in the final match of the regular season to clinch a spot in the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament, the Blue Streaks would take it in a heartbeat.

But a hard-charging #15 Denison University side ended the hopes of JCU prolonging its season.

The Big Red scored three pretty goals in a 3-0 victory on Saturday at Don Shula Stadium. 

Denison threatened some in the early going. In the 10th minute, Owen Szucs made a smart move in coming out of his cage to make a save. But that was not the last time the Big Red would knock on the door. 

After pressuring John Carroll slightly in the early goings, the Big Red broke through in the 19th minute.

From the nearside flag, Kaden Kist sent in a fantastic cornerkick into the box. On a gorgeous set piece, Henri Heyes headed the kick over a leaping Szucs for the opening goal. It was a thing of beauty for the Big Red, with not much JCU could do to stop it. 

Late in the first half in the 37th minute, John Carroll got a promising chance that would haunt the team. Rafa De La Barrera sent in a nice shot that the goalie saved but could not corral. Sava Crnjak found the ball on his foot with an open chance on net. But Sava skied the shot and the chance went for naught. 

At halftime, the Big Red enjoyed the 1-0 lead, but the game certainly did not seem out of reach. 

John Carroll came out swinging to start the second half. Dante Rajaie fired on a gorgeous shot on net but the Denison keeper was equal to the challenge, and the follow-up opportunity did not materialize due to a JCU foul in the 47th minute. 

Denison's strong setpieces continued to spook the home crowd, but Szucs and his defensive troops turned away the chances.

Opportunities followed for John Carroll down the stretch. Andrew Massucci found himself one-on-one with the goalie in the 73rd minute but the goalie came out and stuffed the shot. 

Physicality became a factor down the way, most definitely understandable with all that was at stake. 

The Big Red put the nail in the coffin in the 79th minute. A series of strong passes pingponged the ball around the box, eventually finding the foot of Phil Koutsaftis. The senior struck the ball just hard enough to trickle it to the left side of the net past the keeper for the insurance goal. 

Trailing 2-0, the Blue Streaks felt frustration with a yellow card following. And the Big Red soon added to the advantage.

In the 79th minute, Zarius Eusebe headed a pass on a setpiece to Eli Taylor, who tapped it to the head of Henry Gallum and into the back of the net for the finisher. 

With the defeat, JCU finishes the season with a 7-8-4 record, 3-3-2 in NCAC play. 
Print Friendly Version

Scoring Summary

Scoring Summary
Scoring Team Scoring Play
18:21
DEN Henri Heyes (5)
Assisted By: Kaden Kist
GOAL by DEN Heyes, Henri Assist by Kist, Kaden.
78:28
DEN Phil Koutsaftis (3)
Assisted By: Eli Taylor , Dominic Pellock
GOAL by DEN Koutsaftis, Phil Assist by Taylor, Eli and Pellock, Dominic.
80:25
DEN Henry Gallum (1)
Assisted By: Miles Crosser , Zarius Eusebe
GOAL by DEN Gallum, Henry Assist by Crosser, Miles and Eusebe, Zarius.

Related Headlines

Sponsors