Sat., April 1 was a day of celebration and success for John Carroll Women’s Lacrosse as they hosted Ohio Northern for an afternoon of festivities that resulted in a dominant 20-8 victory. 

Weather delays and unpredictable conditions forced a later start as the senior day celebration commenced at 2:15 p.m. Olivia Gerlach ‘23, Mary Doherty ‘23, Lainey Donalson ‘23, Kendall Gessner ‘23, Shannon Burdick ‘23, Hannah Rust ‘23 and Caylin Perryman ‘23 were the crew of seven that were honored prior to the first draw of the game.

However, after the recognition, the Blue and Gold were the first to find the back of the net off a swift shot by Donalson. The Polar Bears were able to answer, but the even nature of the game quickly declined as the remainder of the first half played out.

Gessner and Doherty each tallied two goals in the second quarter while Gerlach reached the hat-trick threshold before the second half ended.

At the half, the score stood at 13-4, John Carroll eager to maintain their significant lead that was created after intense amounts of grit and determination.

As the third quarter opened, Madison Polaski ‘24 capitalized on a free position shot to keep the intensity up. Polaski wasted no time in her release, sending her shot flying past the Polar Bear’s defense.

The third quarter set the score at 18-4, as John Carroll continued to keep the pace of the game high, knowing that a disciplined environment had led them to serious amounts of success.

In the later portion of the game, the Blue Streaks also showcased their depth on the offensive and defensive side of things.

Vivian Rung ‘26 tallied her first collegiate goal at the attack position. Olivia Munding ‘25 grabbed five saves while one of her defenders, Hannah Weiss ‘26, protected the Blue and Gold’s space with tough defense.

The Blue Streaks executed a full team effort strategy with extreme precision and energy. The game was dictated by John Carroll’s communication and efficiency on the field which made it extremely difficult for the Polar Bears to create offensive opportunities.

At the end of the day, it was the leadership of the Blue and Gold’s seniors that made this game so special. 

Gerlach ended the day with four goals and seven draw controls while her fellow midfielder Doherty finished with three goals, nine draw controls and three ground balls. Donalson also earned a hat trick and gained possession of eight draws and four ground balls. Gessner stood strong at the attack spot, earning three goals and three ground ball pickups.

John Carroll looks to keep the positive energy up with their next game at Otterbein University. The Blue Streaks board the bus for a 7:00 p.m. start on Wed., Apr. 5.