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John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
Luke Pranjeta at Denison 11-5-26
Peter Wangechi
1
John Carroll JCU (7-8-3, 4-3-1)
2
Winner Denison DEN (11-1-6, 6-0-2)
John Carroll JCU
(7-8-3, 4-3-1)
1
Final
2
Denison DEN
(11-1-6, 6-0-2)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 F
John Carroll JCU 0 1 0 1
Denison DEN 1 0 1 2

Game Recap: Men's Soccer | | JCUSID

Men's Soccer Loses NCAC Semifinal Heartbreaker in OT at Denison

Luka Pranjeta scored JCU's lone goal in his final game in the Blue & Gold

GRANVILLE, Ohio – All season long, John Carroll Men's Soccer looked to overcome its inexperience with passion and hard work.

The Blue Streaks experienced their fair share of setbacks but did more than enough in conference play, securing the #3 seed in the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament. 

After going down early, the Blue Streaks got off the mat and scored a tying goal late. But #16 Denison found a goal in overtime, ending JCU's upset bid in the NCAC Semifinal.

By winning, 2-1, Denison will advance to Sunday's NCAC title bout. JCU's promising season comes to a close. 

The hosts got the game's first chance in the seventh minute before breaking through in the 10th minute for the first tally. 

The Big Red got a free kick, which JCU cleared. Denison settled the ball and sent in a promising pass, headed wide by Henry Gallun but Jack Rice reached it first, and sent in a pass off the bounce. This time, Gallun's header didn't miss, beating the goalie overhead to the left. 

While John Carroll had a handful of opportunities, nothing found its way to the goalie. Overall, Denison played its game and enjoyed much of the possession. JCU did get a myriad of throw-ins for Patrick Bohan and even a corner kick, but nothing promising resulted. 

After an uneven first half, the Blue Streaks fired out of the gates with energy to start the second half. 

John Carroll knocked Denison off its game at the start with promising chances early. Samuel Bernabe and Rafa De La Barrera both put shots on net. An offsides call also halted a potential chance. Despite the missed chances, physicality on the part of the Blue Streaks – without going over the line by drawing cards – opened up the game. 

In the 62nd minute, the Blue Streaks drew a foul and a free kick just outside the box. Louis Roseberry sent in a shot, but it misfired just wide.

Momentum seemed to shift in the 72nd minute as Denison began hunting for an insurance goal. The Big Red put pressure on the visitors, starting to gain more momentum through possession. While they knocked on the door, the Big Red could not break down the Blue Streaks.    

In a stunning turn, the Blue Streaks got the equalizer in the 79th minute. With some swift and impressive footwork, De La Barrera weaved around several Denison defenders. The Saint Ignatius product then tapped the ball back to Louis Roseberry. The veteran left-footed a gorgeous pass to Luka Pranjeta, who put his hand in the air to call for the ball before Roseberry fired it in. Pranjeta took four big strides into the box before meeting the ball with his noggin. Pranjeta headed a missile of a shot over top of the goalie, who had no chance. 

The John Carroll bench and fans went wild, surely in disbelief at Pranjeta's clutch goal, no doubt JCU's most important of the season. 

The teams were not content to wait out the final 11 minutes for overtime. The chances came fast and furious, particularly in the 81st minute. Bryce Sampson made a diving save and De La Barrera put a shot on net right at the goalie. With just 30 seconds left, a Maurio Powell header off a throw-in went just high. 

And so, overtime would be needed. 

Each team got some decent chances in the early going. The game seemed destined for double overtime, as the broadcasters even hinted that the winning goal didn't seem to be coming.

But on a quick buildup from midfield, Gallun found space up the left side. He found Kist, who crossed it into the box. The first Big Red player missed a sliding chance to put it in, but Colin MacDonald did not. MacDonald met the ball with force at the backpost right before the JCU defender made contact with him, leaving the goalie with no chance.

And so, the Blue Streaks' season ended in the blink of an eye. 

Coincidentally, Denison also won the previous meeting this season, 2-1. The Big Red scored the game's first goal, JCU tied it in the second half, and Denison ended that game with a goal by Jack Rice, who assisted on the first goal in the rematch. 

John Carroll ends the 2026 campaign with a 7-8-3 record. 
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Players Mentioned

Patrick Bohan

#4 Patrick Bohan

D
5' 10"
Junior
Rafa De La Barrera

#14 Rafa De La Barrera

M
5' 9"
Sophomore
Maurio Powell

#5 Maurio Powell

D
6' 3"
Sophomore
Luka Pranjeta

#10 Luka Pranjeta

M
6' 0"
Senior
Louis Roseberry

#3 Louis Roseberry

M
6' 0"
Junior
Samuel Bernabe

#26 Samuel Bernabe

D
5' 10"
First Year
Bryce Sampson

#98 Bryce Sampson

GK
6' 0"
First Year

Players Mentioned

Patrick Bohan

#4 Patrick Bohan

5' 10"
Junior
D
Rafa De La Barrera

#14 Rafa De La Barrera

5' 9"
Sophomore
M
Maurio Powell

#5 Maurio Powell

6' 3"
Sophomore
D
Luka Pranjeta

#10 Luka Pranjeta

6' 0"
Senior
M
Louis Roseberry

#3 Louis Roseberry

6' 0"
Junior
M
Samuel Bernabe

#26 Samuel Bernabe

5' 10"
First Year
D
Bryce Sampson

#98 Bryce Sampson

6' 0"
First Year
GK

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