John Carroll hung tough through the first two games before falling to the number six-ranked team in the nation as host Ohio Northern swept the Blue Streaks in an Ohio Athletic Conference tournament quarterfinal round match Tuesday night in Ada, Ohio.
Box Score
The Blue Streaks showed mettle throughout the opening two framers. Trailing 9-1 early on, JCU would win six of the next seven points to clim to within 10-7 thanks to a pair of kills and a service ace from sophomore Kerry Fox. The Streaks continued to stay with the Polar Bears before Ohio Northern ripped off nine of the final 13 points for a 25-17 victory.
Game two featured several momentum swings. Down 15-11, JCU reeled off four consecutive points, two of which were courtesy of service aces by senior MaryEileen Dalton. Laura Isbell would again tie the game at 16-16 with a kill, but the Polar Bears scored six of the next eight points.
JCU found itself trailing 24-20, but dug in and got back-to-back kills by Dalton and isbell. An attack error on the next point, however, handed Ohio Northern the set at 25-22.
It would be all Ohio Northern in the third and final game, as the Polar Bears would score 11 of the final 12 points -- nine of kills -- to seal the victory at 25-11.
John Carroll was led by Isbell's eight kills in what was her final match as a Blue Streak.
The Blue Streaks end the year with a record of 12-17.