Box Score Beating your rival twice in a season is sweet, but beating them in the Ohio Athletic Conference tournament is even sweeter. The John Carroll Blue Streaks men's soccer team did just that with a 2-1 win over the Mount Union in the OAC semifinal round match, advancing to the conference championship on Saturday, Nov. 3.

The site and time of the title match is yet to be determined, as the other OAC semifinal between #1 seed and host Capital against #5 seed Ohio Northern was postponed until Friday evening due to unplayable field conditions.

Regardless, John Carroll has advanced to its league record 18th OAC Championship match. The next closest number of title matches is ten by Ohio Northern.
 
Earlier this season, the Blue Streaks hosted the Purple Raiders in an OAC regular season contest on October 3rd. JCU prevailed in overtime off a goal from freshman Mikey Burrington to defeat a previously undefeated Mount Union team by a score of 2-1.

Tonight's match had the same kind of intensity and the same kind of result..
  
At the beginning of the night, the battle between these two teams did not see much offensive action. In the first 25 minutes, JCU and Mount combined for two total shots (both coming from the Blue Streaks). At the 27:03 mark in the first half, the tide had turned.
 
Sophomore William Turrittin played the ball into the box, finding freshman Jared Mattei, who relayed a left to right pass at the feet of Jarrod McDowell, who beat the keeper arriving at the same time and found the back of the net for a the opening tally.
 
"I know we needed a goal early," said McDowell. "It was not the prettiest goal but it found the back of the net and that is all that matters."
 
The Blue and Gold trotted into the break with a 1-0 lead, having the 4-2 advantage in shots on goal.
 
Just 4:57 into the second half, the Blue Streaks struck again. Senior Chad Kanakkanatt netted his third score of the season, off an assist from freshman Lawrence Cersosimo and sophomore Jared Ianiro ina  play that closely resembled the first Blue Streaks goal..
 
"Any goal against your rival is good," said Kanakkanattt. "(Assistant coach) Dejan Mladenovic has had us practicing that play all week. We got to use it in a game and it worked out successfully on our end."
 
Mount Union did not go quietly, forcing the action and putting the Blue Streaks in difficult situations to defend. Their efforts paid off, as with 4:29 left in regulation, junior Tyler Cooke cut the deficit to one score when he headed in a Jon Schroeder free kick into the upper right corner.

However, their efforts would not be enough as the Blue Streaks survived both Mount Union and a relentless rain shower to advance to the conference championship game.

In making three saves, senior keeper Liam McIntosh recorded his 52nd career victory, breaking the school record for most career victories by a John Carroll player. The record had been 51, set by Michael Lyons from 1991-1994.

"I want to thank all my teammates over the years that helped me get this record," said McIntosh. "To win games you need to score, and the only reason I have this record is because they do it so well."
 
Head coach Hector Marinaro would like to see more out of his team, despite a tournament win against a rival.

"Survive and move on yes, but we have to finish the game," said Marinaro. "When we are up 2-0, that is when we have to score our third goal and put the game away.".

His players agreed.
 
"We know for us seniors this could be our last game at Don Shula Stadium," said Kanakkanatt. "It was win or go home."
 
The Blue Streaks will face the winner of Ohio Northern vs. Capital for the OAC Championship on Saturday. JCU will need an ONU win to host the game at Don Shula Stadium. Earlier this season, JCU beat the Polar Bears 2-1 on Oct. 13 and lost 1-0 in double overtime against the Crusaders on Oct. 6.

John Carroll is 6-11 in 17 previous OAC title matches, winning the crown in 1993, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2016.