The Joe Rautenstrauch era could not have started much better than it did Saturday night.
 
In the first game of the new season and under new management, the John Carroll men's lacrosse team rolled over Oberlin College, 19-6. The victory marks the first career win for Rautenstrauch, who was hired this past fall.
 
Skyler Blake led the way with a career high eight goals in his first career game for John Carroll. Declan O'Grady (three goals, three assists), Patrick O'Grady (two goals), Connor Pike (two goals, three assists) and Michael Hubert (one goal, four assists) all made major contributions to the Blue Streaks' offensive onslaught. Kyle Lake played just over 45 minutes in his season debut, registering five saves.
 
The 19 goals scored by the Blue Streaks were a record for most scored in a season opener. Blake also set a program record in goals scored in a single game.
 
Collin Rice etched his name in the 2017 stat book first for the Blue Streaks with the opening goal. Hubert, the leading assist earner from 2016, supplied the assist that gave John Carroll a 1-0 advantage with 10:27 to play in the first quarter. Oberlin would equalize at the 6:22 mark of the first quarter, leading John Carroll to back-to-back goals to retake the lead. Blake supplied the first tally of those back-to-back scores for his first career goal in a John Carroll uniform.
 
2016's leading point earner, Declan O'Grady, would join the scoring barrage with his first tally of the new season with 2:12 to play in the opening quarter. Blake would then add his second goal of the quarter to cap off a five goal opening frame for the Blue Streaks.
 
John Carroll would take a 5-2 lead into the second quarter, setting the stage for the squad's most successful frame.
 
The Blue and Gold outscored Oberlin 6-0 in the second quarter. Blake supplied the most firepower, scoring four of the goals himself – the first four goals of the second quarter were all scored by Blake. Declan O'Grady and Pike would add two more positive tallies for the Blue Streaks in the second quarter, helping the Blue Streaks to an 11-2 lead at the halftime break.
 
It would be more of the same from Blue Streaks in the second half.
 
Declan O'Grady would open the scoring in the half with a man advantage tally at the 12:26 mark of the third quarter. Pike would follow suit with another goal just over a minute later. Oberlin would supply some resistance, but Blake and MacGregor Roberts combined for back-to-back goals to give the Blue Streaks a 12-3 advantage. Ryan Crater would tally a third quarter goal with just six seconds to play, giving John Carroll a 16-4 lead for the final frame.
 
The fourth quarter provided more modest scoring from both sides.
 
Blake would tally his eighth and final goal of the evening to start the final frame. Patrick O'Grady would then join the score sheet with two goals, finalizing the 19-6 lead for the Blue Streaks.
 
As a team, John Carroll peppered 40 shots (28 shots on goal) in the game. The Blue Steaks also won the ground ball battle, 38-27.