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John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
Wohleber and Shaffer celebration
Sean Finucane
The Blue Streaks advance to play the host Case Western Reserve Spartans on Sunday at 1 pm.
3
Winner John Carroll JCU (14-1-5, 8-0-1)
0
Cortland CORT (11-3-5, 5-0-4)
Winner
John Carroll JCU
(14-1-5, 8-0-1)
3
Final
0
Cortland CORT
(11-3-5, 5-0-4)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
John Carroll JCU 1 2 3
Cortland CORT 0 0 0

Game Recap: Women's Soccer | | Leah Harrigan, Senior Staff Writer

Women's Soccer Roars for First NCAA Tournament Victory, Defeating Cortland

CLEVELAND -- After historic Ohio Athletic Conference Regular Season and Tournament Championships, the Blue Streaks secured an automatic spot in the NCAA Division III Tournament. The first round on the national stage was a quick jaunt for John Carroll, just 25 minutes down the road at Case Western Reserve.

However, JCU Women's Soccer took on the Cortland Red Dragons in the round of 64, just their second bout of NCAA Tournament play in program history. 

In an intense matchup against the SUNYAC Champions, the Blue Streaks secured a dominant 3-0 win.

"Watching this team grow has been amazing," said Head Coach Michael Marich. "Once you get here, anyone you're up against is going to be a very tough opponent. We just preach to the girls to make sure that they were going to enjoy the moment and be excited that they're here and leave everything on the field."

And so they did.

Despite early opportunities for both squads, the Blue Streaks capitalized on dead ball scenarios which ultimately gave John Carroll the early lead. Following a penalty outside the 18 yard box, Kathryn Shaffer lined up for a distant free kick. The sophomore defender fired the ball over the heads of the Red Dragon defense and beyond the fingertips of Kristen Spendal, tallying the first goal of the match just five minutes in.

"It gave us life," started Shaffer of her second career goal, her first of the year. "Coming out here, we knew this needed to be a win and when we went up there, I honestly thought I should cross it. But I decided to go for the goal and everyone was super excited and supportive of me.

"I was so glad I was able to give us a goal to give us some energy."

John Carroll's offensive dominance continued with some aggressive attempts from Madyson Rosado around the 30 minutes mark. The All-OAC First Team Honoree looked to find the back of the net but Spendal's last-ditch efforts kept the goal tally at one.

Soon after, Sara Gennuso found some green space, ending in a 1 on 1 opportunity just minutes after Rosado began to knock on the door in the final third. Gennuso's footwork ended in a Cortland save, but the offensive push was far from over for the Blue Streaks.

"Obviously coming into it, it was a little chaotic and we were trying to get our footing, but I think within the first ten minutes we showed who we were, pressing really hard at the top and our defense was doing really well getting the ball back up," said Madeline Martin Koiser, who tallied a shutout in net for the Blue Streaks.

As a result, frustration was evident amongst Cortland, the Red Dragons committing five hard fouls, resulting in a handful of John Carroll injuries including a dynamic part of their roster, Abby Smith who left the game with an injury. However, John Carroll continued to rally with toughness and grit.

At the half, the score remained 1-0, the Blue Streaks protecting their early lead. After a 15 minute intermission at the half, John Carroll was prepared to take the field with an even more elevated intensity.

Just 23 seconds into the second half, Rosado found twine to give John Carroll a 2-0 lead, setting the standard for the remainder of the game. Rosado was met with hugs from her teammates who battled through adversity with composure and skill.

As the half continued, both teams fought for chances, but John Carroll found themselves attacking for a good portion of the second half. The Red Dragons would attempt to counter, earning their first solid chance at making the outcome of the game interesting with a free kick from Brynn Thompson. The veteran defender sent a laser toward John Carroll's Koiser, but the OAC Freshman of the Year was able to grab Thompson's shot before it could find the upper-right hand corner of the net.

Still, the Blue Streaks dictated the speed of play, despite some close opportunities for Cortland in light of some necessary corner kicks. But, the Red Dragons struggled to redirect the ball off the corner as time continued to tick off the clock.

Cortland's most promising opportunity came with just ten minutes left on the clock. Another chaotic corner floated into the box and ricocheted off multiple players on both sides of the ball. The Blue Streak defense was able to find relief after a last-ditch clearance, but Cortland kept the engines running.

With six minutes to go, Kayla Valerioti hit a one-timer shot that had some serious pace on it, but Martin Koiser stood her ground once again, keeping a John Carroll shutout in the works.

And then came the game-sealing goal from Gennuso. The freshmen standout took her chances at Cortland's defense and fired a low shot toward the net, hitting the foot of a Red Dragon defender that ultimately redirected the shot into the back of the net.

Gennuso's goal was the insurance factor for the Blue Streaks, assisting in their 3-0 victory. The win marks the first NCAA Tournament victory in program history. In their last appearance on the national stage, the Blue Streaks fell 2-0 to DePauw. 

With a striking win this afternoon, John Carroll faces off against Case Western Reserve in a battle for a ticket to the Round of 16 at 1:00 p.m. tomorrow.
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