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John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
1 SEPTEMBER 2021; JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY plays KENYON COLLEGE in a non-conference men’s soccer game.
Sejin Kim/Kenyon SID/NCAA
Swann and the Blue Streaks opened the season with a 2-1 conquest. 
2
Winner John Carroll JCU (1-0-0, 0-0-0)
1
Kenyon KEN (0-1-0, 0-0-0)
Winner
John Carroll JCU
(1-0-0, 0-0-0)
2
Final
1
Kenyon KEN
(0-1-0, 0-0-0)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
John Carroll JCU 2 0 2
Kenyon KEN 0 1 1

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

Mladenovic Era Opens with Road Victory over No. 10 Kenyon

GAMBIER, Ohio -- The Dejan Mladenovic '06 era began quite impressively on Wednesday evening.

John Carroll University Men's Soccer opened the 2021 season and Mladenovic's tenure as head coach with a 2-0 conquest of Kenyon College.

The road win featured beautiful goals by John Carroll, a fitting beginning to Mladenovic's time at the helm. And against the No. 10 team in the country, to boot. 

"It felt great to get our first win, especially against such a quality program on the road in a hostile environment," said Mladenovic. "That being said, we have a lot work to do and need to clean up a lot of areas of our game. We need to have a good week of practice to prepare for another tough opponent in Rochester this Sunday." 

Kenyon, slated tenth in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll, created some chances early in the ballgame. Connor Gynn made a solid save in the 6th minute as Kenyon pushed the ball into John Carroll territory. Kenyon also garnered a free kick from just outside of the box from the middle in the 10th minute, but the shot attempt thankfully sailed to the left. 

After surviving the early pressure, John Carroll counterattacked with fury. Benjamin Hryszko dribbled the ball up the far sidelines, allowing JCU space in the middle. As Hryszko fired up the left side, Jared Ianiro snuck into position in the middle. Right before hitting the end line at the left post, Hryszko slid a pass to Ianiro. The Kirtland native left-footed the ball with ease, slotting it into the back right corner of the net. 

After just 15 minutes of the 2021 fall campaign, the Blue Streaks already had their first goal of the season. 

Kenyon looked to get vengeance, and pushed the pace. The hosts earned a corner kick, but Gynn and Co. ensured the sheet remained clean. 

With the defense locking things down, the offense upped the tempo in the final five minutes of the half. After a couple of chances ended quietly, aggressive play by John Carroll's forwards pressured Kenyon into a mistake.

On a Kenyon pass to the middle, Nicholas Graeca challenged heavily, forcing the defender to a slide tackle that proved unsuccessful. Realizing a 1-on-1 was imminent, the goalkeeper charged from the crease to separate Graeca from the ball before he found his footing. Graeca tapped the ball past him and easily hit it with his right foot into an open net for the 2-0 lead. 

After a couple more minutes of action, John Carroll carried a 2-0 lead into the break. 

The second half began quietly for the Blue Streaks, save for a yellow card for JCU on Izac Coleman. Minus some subs and a few chances, nothing much major occurred early. 

But then the Lords got on the board in the 71st minute. 

Kenyon's Sebastian Bryelka clipped it ahead to Eamon Dujakovic with a nifty pass. With the JCU offense pressing ahead, Dujakovic flicked the ball over the head of a defender and the keeper. The lofty shot bounced once and into the net, halving JCU's lead.

Now ahead 2-1, the Blue Streaks bore down late. 

The Blue Streaks allowed a couple corner kicks, but Kenyon could not convert on any chances.

So, the Blue Streaks walked away with a 2-1 victory and a great opening to Mladenovic's tenure as the helmsman of the program.

Looking at the stats, Kenyon enjoyed an advantage in shots, 9-5, shots on goal, 3-2, and corners, 9-0. With a combined 5 yellow cards and 32 fouls, it was a physical affair. To best a top 10 team on the road in this type of physical game is an early-season boost for John Carroll.

"We did not need a preseason ranking system to learn that Kenyon was a top team in the country," Mladenovic said. "We pride ourselves on playing a challenging schedule year in and year out. This group has done a tremendous job believing in our vision and committing to process necessary to get to where we want to go."

The Blue Streaks' home opener is next on the schedule, as John Carroll hosts the University of Rochester in a 1 p.m. contest at Don Shula Stadium on Sunday.
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