Ohio State Ties Best Start in Program History 5-0 – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/9/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
COLUMBUS, Ohio The Ohio State women’s soccer team tied the best five-game start in the program’s history with its fifth-consecutive win to open the season, a 2-0 decision over San Diego Sunday at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
Preseason All-America team honoree and Hermann Trophy candidate Lara Dickenmann scored in the 62ndminute off a sweet assist from junior Lisa Collison to give Ohio State the lead. Collison received a pass from freshman Lauren Steuer, who also was credited with an assist on the play, and found herself one-on-one with Toreros’ goalkeeper Brittany Cameron. Collison hesitated, drew Cameron from her post and then flicked the ball to Dickenmann, who tapped a 5-yard shot into the now-empty net to give the Buckeyes the 1-0 lead. The goal was Dickenmann’s second this season and second game-winner.
Freshman Alex Burzynski and sophomore Ashley Bowyer slammed the door on the Toreros with a game-clinching goal at the 83-minute mark. The play mirrored the team’s first goal. Bowyer drew Cameron from the net and passed to Burzynski, who punched the ball into the net for her second goal of the season.
Ohio State, in the midst of six-consecutive games at Jesse Owens to open the season, appeared sluggish throughout the first half and San Diego (2-1-1) took advantage by firing nine shots at OSU goalie Lauren Robertson. Robertson made five saves in the half that included a critical save from point-blank range off an Ashleigh Shougro blast. Robinson finished with seven saves in recording her fourth shutout of the season.
“We could see in the first half that this stretch of games five games in 10 days had worn on our legs,” Lori Walker, Ohio State head coach, said. “We recognized this at halftime and we realized that we needed to connect with each other more. And this team did just that. It rose to the challenge.”
San Diego was certainly a challenge. The Toreros, who defeated Dayton Friday night while Ohio State was defeating Pepperdine, came in with an unbeaten record that included a win and a tie over nationally-ranked teams Wake Forest and Duke, respectively.
Collison was chosen as the team’s player of the game. In addition to assisting on the game-winning goal, Collison had three shots, including one on goal. Collison has moved into sole possession of 9th-place with 53 career points at Ohio State.
The Buckeyes now have three days to prepare before hosting Ohio Univ., Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Jesse Owens.
More Game Notes and Good Stuff:
- The 1998 and 2003 teams also started the season 5-0.
- The Buckeyes dressed in scarlet jerseys with white shorts for the game. The previous four games the Buckeyes were clad in all white uniforms.
- The largest crowd of the season 1,918 enjoyed the contest.
- Dickenmann is tied for fifth at Ohio State with 25 career goals.
- Ohio State is 13-2 the last two seasons when Dickenmann scores a point.
- A total of 14 players have scored at least one point this season with Ashley Bowyer (2-2-6), Dickenmann (2-1-5) and Carla Arbulu (1-3-5) leading the way.
- Three freshmen have four points each: Courtney Jenkins, Burzynski and Genna Brand.
- Robertson’s goals-against average is 0.39.
- Coach Lori Walker will miss the team’s next two games Sept. 13 against Ohio and Sept. 16 at Louisville while announcing the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2007 matches in China. Walker and her broadcast partners will be calling the first-round games off television monitors from ESPN’s Bristol, Conn., studios.
- Walker will return to the sidelines in time for Ohio State’s Sept. 21 game against No. 6-ranked North Carolina, her alma mater.
- Greg Miller, associate head coach in his seventh year at Ohio State, will coach the team against Ohio and Louisville. He’ll have plenty of expert support. Assistant coach Stephanie Gabbert was on the U.S. National Team’s coaching staff prior to coming to Ohio State and she has been a head coach at Iowa, Iowa State and Northeast Missour State.
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