In a historical fashion, John Carroll women’s soccer reached the end of their Cinderella campaign with a narrow 1-0 against Messiah on Nov. 19. The Blue Streaks fell in the Elite 8 Round of the NCAA Tournament after powering through SUNY Cortland in the first round, followed by nationally-ranked Case Western Reserve and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

But, this loss comes with a sense of satisfaction.

A season of grit, mental toughness and heart culminated in an Ohio Athletic Conference Regular Season and Tournament title; a trip to the Sweet 16 and a valiant effort in the Elite 8. This tops any other program accomplishments, alluding to the fact that there was significant amounts of effort on and off the field this season.

Madyson Rosado ‘25 finished the season with 13 goals while Twinsburg native, Emily Patryzk ‘26, wasn’t far behind with nine. Kathyn Shaffer ‘26 and Brooke Kelly ‘25 stood strong on the back line for the Blue Streaks, contributing to ten shutouts over the course of the season.

But, the Blue Streaks owe significant amounts of credit to OAC Freshman of the Year and OAC Goalkeeper of the Year, Madeline Martin Kosier ‘27. The First Team All-OAC Honoree and 2023 All-Tournament selection tallied 143 saves in 2023 with just 16 goals against throughout 23, 90 minutes stints in net.

Kosier defended John Carroll’s space for a whopping 2,090 minutes, a tall task for a first-year student, but nothing Kosier couldn’t handle. The talented keeper remained a pivotal reason why the Blue Streaks were able to generate chances late in the season. Necessary saves allowed for the ball to be back at John Carroll’s feet, out of the grasp of their opponents.

But, nonetheless, the tremendous season is a result of a genuine team endeavor. Early practices, team bonding beyond the boundaries of Don Shula Stadium and confidence in one another ultimately ended in triumph.

A final aspect that remains important is the competitive talent within John Carroll Athletics. The culture has created an environment where growth is possible and expected. Each year, John Carroll teams continue to impress the remainder of the OAC and, this time, the Blue Streaks grabbed the attention of the nation.