Ohio State Defeats Butler, 3-0, in 2007 Season Opener – Ohio State Buckeyes
8/31/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State women’s soccer team opened its 2007 season with a 3-0 victory over Butler Friday afternoon at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Coach Lori Walker’s teams are now 4-0-1 in the last five home openers and Ohio State is 10-2-3 all-time in season opening games.
Sophomore Ashley Bowyer scored in close and from the left corner just over seven minutes into the game to give the Buckeyes a 1-0 edge. Senior Carla Arbulu had the assist, the first of two on the day for her.
Butler had some golden opportunities to tie the score in the first half, but each time sophomore goalie Lauren Robertson came up big. She beat Butler’s Lindsey Fox to the ball on a near breakaway, and two more times Robertson’s positioning forced wide shots by the Butler forward. Robertson, who celebrated her birthday by getting the shutout and her 11th career victory, was chosen by the OSU coaching staff as the team’s most outstanding performer of the game.
“Taz [Robertson’s nickname] was there when we needed her to be,” Walker said. “We talk to her about consistency and working through the highs and lows, and today she displayed a nice level of intensity.”
Ohio State scored two second half goals to support Robertson’s defensive heroics. A freshmen trio combined to give the Buckeyes a 2-0 edge as Genna Brand scored off the post from the near left side at the 47-minute mark. Assisting on the play was Emily Esbrook and Ali Whitehurst. Esbrook was one of five freshmen to start for Ohio State while Brand and Whitehurst each came in off the bench.
Another freshman starter, Courtney Jenkins, took a feed from Arbulu in the 89th minute and blasted a shot from 15 yards into the lower left corner to close out the scoring.
“Our young players stepped up, played together very well and scored some nice goals,” Walker said.
Ohio State totaled 16 shots with seven of those on goal. Butler took nine shots with two of those on goal.
“Today we were like fine wine,” Walker said. “I felt as if we needed to open the game up offensively and give this team a chance to breathe. We sat back in the first half and played to Butler’s bunker mentality on defense. We weren’t attacking and making them change their shape, but I felt we became more active and creative at attacking their back line in the second half.”
The Buckeyes, in the midst of six-straight home games in 13 games to open the season, host St. Louis, Sunday at 5:30 p.m. The Billikins have won 73 games the last five years and have advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament the last two seasons.
Soccer Game Summary (Final)
Ohio State 3, Butler 0 (Aug 31, 2007 at Columbus, Ohio)
Records: Ohio State (1-0-0); Butler (0-1-0)
Date: Aug 31, 2007 Attendance: 221
Weather: Plenty of sunshine. Temp about 80 degrees.
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
——————————-
Butler………….. 0 0 – 0
Ohio State………. 1 2 – 3
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 7:38 OSU Bowyer, Ashley (1) (Arbulu, Carla) – 6 yards out off corner.
2. 47:01 OSU Brand, Genna (1) (Whitehurst, Ali;Esbrook, Emily) – Near left side, off of post.
3. 89:27 OSU Jenkins, Courtney (1) (Arbulu, Carla) – 15 yard blast into the lower right corner.
Shots: Butler 9, Ohio State 16
Saves: Butler 4 (LARKIN, Annalise 4), Ohio State 2 (Robertson, Lauren 2)
The game is the season opener for both teams. It marks the
15th season of Ohio State women’s soccer and the ninth sea-
playing at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
