Box Score The John Carroll women's tennis team was successful in defense of its Ohio Athletic Conference  title, defeating Ohio Northern by a 5-1 score Saturday at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.

Box Score

The 2017 title marks the tenth time John Carroll has brought home the league's tournament trophy, winning previously in 1991, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2006 and 2016.

In a battle of the #1 seeded Blue Streaks and #2 seeded Polar Bears, John Carroll earned a 2-1 advantage in doubles as the #1 tandem of Lauren O'Malley and Madisyn Rini routed the team of Lynn Kelly and Ashley Ochsenhirt, 8-3. The #3 doubles duo of Jennifer Stroyne and Carlye Campagna also won by an 8-3 score.

The lone Ohio Northern point was gained when the senior doubles crew of Christina Corbean and Brittany Toney outlasted John Carroll sisters Nicolette Bourlas and Natalie Bourlas, 9-8 (10-4), at #2 doubles.

The Blue Streaks were well positioned heading into singles play, and delivered the knockout blows. O'Malley finished first with a decisive 6-0 6-1 win over Kelly in the #1 match, while Rini handled Ochsenhirt (who entered the match with a 22-3 record) by a 6-2 6-3 score.

For the second time in as many days, Nicolette Bourlas secured the winning point, as the junior rolled past Ola Latala, 6-4 6-1, to clinch the victory for John Carroll.

John Carroll, now 15-9 on the season, will await word on who and where it will play as the Blue Streaks earned the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Championship which begins next weekend. JCU lost to Methodist, 5-4, in the 2016 NCAA tournament -- the program's first national postseason appearance.