A dominant victory ultimately sets the tone for what’s to come. Lucky for John Carroll Women’s Lacrosse, the Ohio Athletic Conference playoffs are next up on the schedule.

The Blue Streaks secured a 19-4 win over Muskingum on Sat., April 22. The triumph put John Carroll at an overall record of 7-7 with a 5-2 spread for the OAC.

The Blue and Gold showcased a wide variety of skills, Mary Dorherty ‘23 leading the way with four goals while Shannon Burdick ‘23 notched four assists. 

In the first period, Lainey Donalson ‘23, Doherty, Kendall Gessner ‘23 and Lauren Schwartz ‘24 found the back of the net for the Blue Streaks. Jaimey Hogan ‘25 and Emily Van Gorder ‘26 held their ground on the defensive side of things allowing the Fighting Muskies just one goal in the opening quarter and the first half itself.

The second slot of play involved a similar trajectory, but this time, a fresh crew of players would contribute to the Blue Streaks’ lead. Kathleen Cagney ‘26, Olivia Gerlach ‘23, Olivia Hanulak ‘23, Angelina Rotunno ‘26 and Karson Martin ‘26 all tallied goals to put John Carroll up by a score of 13-1 as the first half closed.

John Carroll put forth an offensive clinic, outshooting Muskingum 21-4 in the first half alone. The goal tally was at 13 when both squads entered the locker rooms at the half. With a significant lead, the Blue and Gold looked to tighten up fundamentals in preparation for the postseason.

That being said, John Carroll showcased their depth on the bench, giving some younger players a chance to contribute, foreshadowing what the future could look like. A combination of novel newcomers and veteran players created a high-powered Blue Streak offense.

Vivian Rung ‘26 started the second half with a goal and Doherty was close to follow with her own goal. Gessner and Martin each grabbed an additional goal to close out the third quarter. It was 15 minutes of established team chemistry and community.

In the final quarter, the Fighting Muskies felt some offensive momentum, but John Carroll’s lead proved to be too much to combat. Muskingum was able to find the back of the net three times, but Rung and Cagney sealed the victory with a goal a piece in the final quarter.

It was an afternoon of tallying statistics for John Carroll as several players earned some striking numbers in the stats column. From goals to draw controls, the Blue Streaks painted the field with their presence.

Doherty led the way with six draw controls and five points, Hannah Rust ‘23 tallied three caused turnovers, and Schwartz finished the day with a goal, three assists and two ground balls.

With some added confidence, John Carroll waits to hear of their first opponent for the OAC tournament. A competitive conference sets the stage for an exciting postseason.

The Blue and Gold will host the quarterfinal game on Sat., April 29 at Don Shula Stadium against opponent TBD.