Aug 23, 2013
Columbus, Ohio
Bert L. & Iris Wolstein Field at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium
Ohio State 3 (1-0-0); Morehead State 2 (0-1-0)
Attendance: 1,230
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State women’s soccer team opened its 2013 season with a 3-2 win over Morehead State Friday evening at Bert L. & Iris S. Wolstein Field at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. In doing so, the Buckeyes gave head coach Lori Walker her 200th career win with 187 of those coming at Ohio State.
“I’ve been here for a while and it’s a pretty special feeling to reach this milestone,” Walker said. “It isn’t something I think about but it was good to come away with the win to open the season.”
Morehead State took the early lead in the 14th minute when Jade Flory played a cross from the right wing and found Macy Cobb far post who headed it in from six yards for the 1-0 advantage.
The Buckeyes notched their first opportunity in the 25th minute when Nichelle Prince gathered a loose ball in the box off a Megan Fuller corner but her shot from eight yards out deflected off the crossbar and out of play.
However, Ohio State knotted the score less than two minutes later when Kristen Niederhaus headed in a Fuller corner from six yards to tie the game at 1-1.
Neither team was able to muster anything the rest of the half as the game was tied at the half. Ohio State held a 5-3 advantage in shots and a 6-1 lead in corners over the first 45 minutes.
After Niederhaus had a header saved off the line by a Morehead State defender in the 53rd minute, the Eagles took the 2-1 lead in the 58th minute when Cobb finished far post from 10 yards after loose ball from a throw-in.
The Buckeyes had consecutive chances in the 65th minute when Prince collected a long ball at the top of the box and fired a shot but Morehead State goalkeeper Hannah Seeman was able to come up with a diving save. Lindsay Agnew then gathered the rebound but Seeman was able to make another save on the shot from 10 yards to preserve the 2-1 lead.
Prince then tied it in the 67th minute when Ellyn Gruber played a beautiful through ball to the freshman who finished from 10 yards.
Less than two minutes later, Agnew almost gave the Buckeyes the lead but her header shortly after a Fuller corner was saved off the line by a Morehead State defender.
Things stayed quiet until Agnew put the Buckeyes ahead 3-2 in the 85th minute. Prince played a ball from the wing to Michela Paradiso who slotted a perfect ball to Agnew who finished off Seeman from eight yards out to put Ohio State ahead for good.
“It’s awesome to get this win for Coach Walker because she’s a great coach to play for and it means even more to get the game-winner,” Agnew said. “Michela found me streaking across, played a perfect ball and luckily I was able to finish.”
For the game, Ohio State outshot the Eagles, 18-5, and tallied eight corners to two for Morehead State.
Ohio State hosts Eastern Michigan at 6 p.m. Sunday.
