Leclaire’s Game-Winner Completes Comeback at Jacksonville

Feb. 25, 2018

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For the first three weeks of the season, No. 4 Ohio State proved it could win protecting a lead.

On Sunday, it showed a flair for the dramatic by overcoming a three-goal fourth quarter deficit, getting the game-tying score with 1.8 seconds left and then the game-winner in OT to earn a 12-11 victory at Jacksonville. Tre Leclaire scored all three of his goals during the rally – including both the game-tying and game-winning scores – as Ohio State pulled off the memorable comeback.

THE SHORT STORY
With the Buckeyes facing a two-goal deficit (11-9) with just two minutes remaining, Leclaire scored the first of his three goals at the 1:34 mark to make the score 11-10. Ohio State would win the next face-off but fail to score on that possession, but eventually forced a Jacksonville turnover with just five seconds remaining. Logan Maccani sent a pass from Ohio State defensive end into its offensive zone, where Leclaire caught it out of the air, turned a fired the game-tying goal with 1.8 seconds to play.

In overtime, Ohio State’s Justin Inacio won the opening face-off but Leclaire’s shot was saved. Jacksonville then cleared it into its offensive zone, but Maccani picked up a ground ball after a JU turnover and fed Leclaire for the game-winner on a fastbreak.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Ohio State trailed by three goals on three different occasions in the second half, the latest coming at 10-7 with 12:48 to play in the fourth quarter. The Buckeyes were able to covert on a key man-up opportunity when Gale Thorpe netted his second of two goals on the day, making the score 10-8 with six and a half minutes remaining.

Following another Ohio State face-off win, Jack Jasinski pulled Ohio State to within one – 10-9 – on an unassisted goal at the five-minute mark. JU’s Jeremy Winston, however, netted his fifth goal of the day, giving JU a two-goal lead with 2:11 to play before the Buckeyes’ rally.

ON THE SCORESHEET
Six different players scored for Ohio State on Sunday, led by Leclaire’s hat trick and two goals apiece from Colin Chell, Terefenko, Thorpe and Jackson Reid. Buckley and Maccani finished with multiple assists (two). Both of Reid’s goals came in the second half after he cleaned up ground balls in front of the cage.

Ohio State and Jacksonville split their 26 face-offs – the Dolphins came into the game winning over 70 percent on the season. The Buckeyes won five of eight in the fourth quarter and overtime.

ANOTHER FAST START
For the third straight game, the Buckeyes were able to string together multiple first-period goals. Today, it was a wrap-around tally from senior Colin Chell, who took a pass from redshirt sophomore Lukas Buckley and made the score 1-0 in favor of the Buckeyes five minutes into the first quarter.

A minute and a half later, Buckley picked up his second assist of the game when he fed Gale Thorpe on the left wing. His shot beat JU goalie Hunter Sells, giving Ohio State a 2-0 with 8:57 to play in the opening quarter.

JACKSONVILLE RESPONDS
From there, Jacksonville scored the games next five goals, building up a 5-2 lead midway through the second period. Jeremy Winston scored twice in that span, netting back to back goals midway through the second quarter.

Terefenko, however, ended the rally with his second goal of the season, as the Buckeyes won a ground ball in the middle of the field, fed Terefenko who then raced into the offensive zone and ripped a shot past Sells. Forty one second later, Jackson Reid cleaned up a ground ball in front of the cage and flipped a shot over his shoulder to draw Ohio State within one, 5-4. That’s the way the score remained at halftime.

JUST THE STATS
Shots: Jacksonville 36, Ohio State 27
Ground Balls: Ohio State 31, Jacksonville 25
Face-Offs: Ohio State 13-of-26, Jacksonville 13-of-26
Clears: Ohio State 13-of-13, Jacksonville 16-of-20
Turnovers: Ohio State 14, Jacksonville 13

UP NEXT
The Buckeyes are back in action on Friday, March 2 when it opens the Midwest Lacrosse Classic against Marquette at 5 p.m. in Detroit, Mich.