Lara Dickenmann scores another game-winner and OSU is 6-0. – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/13/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
COLUMBUS, Ohio National player of the year candidate Lara Dickenmann scored from 15-yards out with 6:31 to play in the second overtime to lift Ohio State to a thrilling 2-1 win over Ohio University Thursday at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. The win improved Ohio State’s program-best record to 6-0. Ohio drops to 0-4-1.
“It is truly wonderful to have an ace in the hole like Lara Dickenmann,” Greg Miller, Ohio State interim head coach said. “She has the ability to take over a game at any time and she did it in the second overtime tonight.”
The goal was Dickenmann’s third game-winner this season, second in double overtime and 26th of her career, moving her into fourth-place all-time at Ohio State.
Ohio was a stubborn opponent and threatened throughout the evening by sending high lobs into the Ohio State zone and then constantly staying on the attack. But the Buckeye defense stayed true to its game plan and delivered what Miller described as, a tremendous effort.
High praise, deserving and nice to hear when you consider that the back line of defenders consisted of three freshmen Lauren Hallauer, Lauren Steuer and Lauren Beachy who were joined by senior tri-captain Keiana Mitchell. Steuer, for her ability to stay calm and composed and to play through the pressure of the OU offensive thrusts, was named the player of the game by the coaching staff.
Ohio State, ranked 26th in this week’s Soccer Buzz Top 30 and 29th by NSCAA/adidas, was in a pinch well into the second half. That’s because OU got a first-half goal from Callie Broomfield that held up until Lisa Collison took a feed from Lauren Steuer and popped the ball up and into the net at the 50-minute mark to tie the score at 1-all.
There were some near misses for both teams. Ohio State’s Collison had a golden opportunity 15 minutes into the game to put the Buckeyes on the board. After taking a couple hard hits moments earlier, Collison took a pass from the right side, moved across the field and was fouled inside the 18-yard box and awarded a penalty kick. Her attempt sailed high, though.
“Ohio is a quality team,” Miller said, “and not converting on that penalty kick really gave them confidence. To their credit they hung in there and played a good game.”
Later in the first half Collison had another opportunity but didn’t quite get enough on a shot that Ohio goalkeeper Jess MacLean was able to handle.
Tied at 1-1 in the second half, Ashley Bowyer let a shot go from a nearly-parallel position on the right side that caromed off the far post. And finally, with 1:50 to play in regulation, tri-captain Amanda Ball got a clean shot away from about 15-yards that sailed high.
Ohio’s Lindsey Price scored from 25-yards out on a restart early in the second half, but the goal was disallowed due to an offsides call.
Ohio State travels to Louisville Saturday to take on the 4-1 Louisville Cardinals. Not only is it the first road game for the Buckeyes, it comes against a team that is also rising in the regional and national rankings. In the Great Lakes region, Ohio State and Louisville are ranked Nos. 3 and 4, respectively, by Soccer Buzz and Nos. 4 and 5 by NSCAA/adidas.
Game Notes and Good Stuff:
- The 6-0 start is the first such start for Ohio State. The previous best start through six games was the 2003 team starting the season 5-0-1. Go Bucks!
- Ohio State is 2-0 in overtime games this season which equals the number of overtime wins the last three years combined. The team was 2-5-6 in OT from 2004-06.
- Lisa Collison’s first goal of the season was the 25th of her career, tying her for sixth at Ohio State.
- Lara Dickenamann has 26 career goals which ties her for fifth all-time at OSU.
- This is somewhat amazing: the Ohio game was just the second game this season that a true freshman did not record a point. Seven true frosh have combined for 17 points this season.
- Red-shirt freshman Lauren Steuer recorded her second career assist against the Bobcats.
- Ohio State is 14-2 the last two seasons in games that Dickenmann scores a point.
- Eight players have scored goals for the Buckeyes including two apiece by sophomore Ashley Bowyer and freshmen Courtney Jenkins, Alex Burzynski and Genna Brand.
- Ohio State sent 19 shots toward the Bobcats’ goal, the exact number of shots the team is averaging per game this season.
- Ohio State has now outscored its opponents, 14-3, and has out-shot the opposition by 52 shots (114-62).
- The Buckeyes are 55-22-7 all-time at Jesse Owens and in the last four seasons they are an impressive 36-7-5 at home (.800).
- Coach Lori Walker, in Bristol, Conn., announcing the FIFA Women’s World Cup matches, was getting phone updates from the bench after the live stats program on the web malfunctioned midway through the first half.
- The game Sunday against Louisville is the first of four straight matches three of them on the road against teams that played in the 2006 NCAA Tournament. Games at Duke, vs. No. 2 North Carolina (as part of the adidas Classic hosted by Duke) and home vs. Illinois are up next for the Buckeyes.
- The 2-0 win over No. 24 San Diego represented the 150th win in the program’s 15-year history.
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