W Soccer: Maxwell’s Three Goals Spark 3-2 Win over Iowa – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/18/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
COLUMBUS, Ohio On a night when fans were chanting “Go Collison, Go!” in anticipation of senior Lisa Collison tying the school record for career goals, they instead witnessed a turning of the page of sorts as freshman Paige Maxwell tied the Ohio State single game record with three goals in Ohio State’s 3-2 win over Iowa.
The win improved Ohio State’s records to 7-6-2 overall and, most importantly, to 4-2-0 in the Big Ten Conference. Iowa drops to 8-7-1 overall and 2-3-1 in the Big Ten.
Maxwell’s first two goals in the 8th and 50th minutes off assists from Lauren Beachy staked the Buckeyes to a 2-0 lead. Then after Iowa’s Morgan Showalter scored in the 54th minute to close the gap to 2-1, Maxwell scored off her second header of the game 10 minutes later to give the Buckeyes another two-goal lead. Iowa fought valiantly to tie the score, netting another goal by leading scorer Keli McLaughlin in the 70th minute. But freshman goalkeeper Katie Baumgardner was stellar when she needed to be the rest of the game and the Buckeyes improved to 6-2-2 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in 2008.
Only time will tell whether Maxwell reaches the “Lisa Level” – Ohio State’s top three career goal scorers are Lisa Grubb (35 goals), Lisa Collison (34) and Lisa Suttmiller (30) – but the freshman is making her case as the next great goal scorer for Ohio State.
“It felt great to be out there, and I’ve been really working on my heading skills,” Maxwell, who now leads the team with seven goals, said. “The Michigan games last week were upsetting, and it was exciting for us to get on some great runs tonight. My teammates gave me great opportunities to score.”
Beachy was outstanding in all set pieces and her two assists to Maxwell were simply works of art by the duo. On the first goal, Beachy was stationed to the sharp left of the goal mouth and about 20 yards away when she sent a crisp free kick into the box that Maxwell, at 5-10 and the tallest person on the field, drove high into the net past Hawkeye keeper Emily Moran.
Beachy’s second assist was equally special. Taking a corner kick from the left corner, Beachy sailed a ball that Maxwell got her head on. Moran made the save, but the rebound went right back to Maxwell who punched the ball back into the net.
Iowa, which had nine of its 14 shots in the second half, applied great pressure, though, and that effort kept them in the game. Showalter’s goal was a header from close. Five minutes later, with the score still 2-1, the Hawkeyes sent a flurry of three shots at Baumgardner, who was making her first career start, but the freshman watched one go wide, another hit the post and she made a crucial save on another.
“To tell you the truth, I really don’t remember that much about the beginning of the game, it was pretty surreal,” Baumgardner said. “I was excited to be on the field and my defense help me out a lot. This game taught me a lot, especially about keeping your head in the game and to not hesitate at any point.”
Soon after Iowa’s flurry, Maxwell struck again. This time, Alex Burzynski dribbled the ball inside the edge of the 18-yard box before sending a shot from a tough angle on goal. Moran appeared to make the save, but the ball slipped through her hands and Maxwell was there to bump in another goal off her head for the 3-1 lead.
McLaughlin added her seventh goal of the season in the 70th minute but the Buckeyes were good enough on this night to not let the lead slip away in the final 20 minutes.
The Buckeyes play their home finale at 1 p.m. Sunday against Minnesota. Seniors Caitlin Colfer, Collison and Amy Graeff will be honored prior to the Minnesota game.
Game Notes and Other Notes of Interest:
- An injured leg, suffered in the Michigan game last Sunday, sidelined goalkeeper Lauren “Taz” Robertson after 51 consecutive starts dating to the 2006 season.
- Including absences for various injury/surgery reasons to assistant captain Cassie Dickerson, Emily Esbrook and Caitlyn Martin two starters and a key reserve, respectively and Robertson, Ohio State has missed 23 games from these key players this season.
- Players choices for player of the game: Ashley Bowyer, Paige Maxwell, Kelsi Landry (who made her first start as a midfielder) and Katie Baumgardner.
- Maxwell has five goals in her last three games in Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, all Ohio State wins.
- Lauren Beachy’s two assists represent her first multi-point game as a Buckeye. Her four assists this year are tied for second on the team with Caitlyn Martin. Bowyer leads with six.
- Lisa Collison is one of six different Buckeyes who had scored three goals in one game prior to Maxwell joining the list.
- Maxwell had five shots tonight, all on goal, and Bowyer had four shots.
- Minnesota, Ohio State’s 1 p.m. Sunday opponent, lost at Penn State, 2-0 Friday.
###OhioStateBuckeyes.com###
