Mathews leads Cardinals past O'Connell, 15-5

Sophomore Kelly Mathews and seven other Cardinals recorded goals in the regular season finale at Bishop O'Connell on May 3rd.

Sophomore Kelly Mathews scored a game-high 4 goals and added an assist as 8 different Cardinals scored in a 15-5 rout of Bishop O’Connell (11-4, 5-3) on Senior Day in Arlington Friday.

With the win, Bishop Ireton (14-4, 7-1) secured sole possession of second place in the WCAC and home field advantage through the quarter and semi-final rounds, should they advance that far. The loss sent the Knights to a 4th place finish after starting the week 1/2 game from second place.

The game started as an evenly contested matchup with neither team scoring in the opening minutes. Ireton broke the ice with the game’s first tally with 7 minutes gone in the half and steadily gained the control of the play pulling to a 5-0 lead. O’Connell cut the lead to 5-1, but the Cardinals responded with a pair of goals to push the advantage to 7-1. The visiting Cards would head to the intermission with a 9-2 advantage and would not be challenged in the second half as the team both emptied their benches.

Ireton goalie, junior Olivia Cole, was sharp again for the Cardinals, recording 8 saves, including a number early when the contest was knotted at 0-0 and O’Connell pressed the offensive zone at the game’s outset. Christine Macey and Isabel Obregon eached chipped in three goals for the Alexandrians, Charlotte Sofield, Natalie Irwin, Kelly Larkin, Kendall Cunningham , and Kaitlin Luzik each had a goal for Ireton. Larkin, Sofield, Cunningham, Larkin, and even Cole, earned an assist in the game, Luzik collected two.

The Cardinals will host 7th seeded St John’s (6-9-1, 2-6) on Tuesday at 5:45pm on Fannon Field in the quarterfinals of the WCAC championships. Ireton won the regular season matchup with the Cadets, 22-7. The semifinals are slated for Thursday, the winner of the Ireton-St Johns tilt playing the winner of Paul VI at Holy Cross.