W Soccer: Ohio State at IU on the Big Ten Network – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/26/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
COLUMBUS, Ohio Now things get intense. And fun. The 2008 Big Ten Conference soccer season starts this weekend and the Ohio State Buckeyes travel to Bloomington, Ind. to take on the Hoosiers in a 2 p.m. game Sunday at Armstrong Stadium. The Big Ten Network will be on site to broadcast the game to a national audience. The Buckeyes enter with a 3-4-2 record and with wins in three consecutive matches. Indiana carries a 5-4-0 record into its home game Friday against 5-4-0 Penn State.
RECENT HISTORY
Ohio State won twice over Indiana last season: 1-0 at Columbus on a goal by Alex Burzynski (and an assist to Emily Esbrook) and 2-1 in OT in the Big Ten tournament on goals by Courtney Jenkins and Ashley Bowyer (in OT).
The wins were the first consecutive by either team in this series since IU won four consecutive between 2000-03. The wins also calmed a 1-4-1 Ohio State drought against the Hoosiers dating to the 1998 Big Ten tournament.
HOOSIERS LEAD ALL-TIME: 10-6-2
Indiana leads the all-time series between the schools, 10-6-2. IU also leads in games played in Bloomington, 7-1-1, with three consecutive wins. Ohio State’s only win in Blooming came in 1995, 1-0. The Buckeyes are 3-1-1 vs. the Hoosiers in the last five games.
OHIO STATE BIG TEN HISTORY
Ohio State is 55-67-11 all-time in regular season games against Big Ten competition. The Buckeyes have better than .500 or winning series records vs. Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota and Northwestern. The team has qualified for the Big Ten tournament 12 times in its 16 years and won tournament titles in 2002 and 2004.
OHIO STATE’S JOURNEY TO 3-4-2
It started with two jaw-dropping losses on the road to open the season: 4-3 to now ranked Milwaukee after tying the score from two goals down in the 88th minute. The Panthers won it on an 89th-minute PK. Road game #2 was a 2-1 OT loss to Marquette after giving up the tying goal with six seconds to play. Then came two ties at home by 1-1 scores to Charlotte and Bowling Green. Rutgers scored the game-winner in the 82nd minute of its 1-0 win and when No. 12 Duke defeated Ohio State, 4-2, two weeks ago the Buckeyes were 0-4-2, somewhat stunned, definitely disappointed but in no way broken. And then…
A TWEAK HERE, A TWEAK THERE
Coach Lori Walker made some slight modifications to her lineup and has started the same lineup of nine sophomores and freshmen the past three games alongside juniors Ashley Bowyer and Lauren Robertson. Senior Lisa Collison has been a lightning rod off the bench, and a handful of underclassmen have adjusted nicely to their roles. The results have been most positive.
THREE CONSECUTIVE WINS
The three-game winning streak started with a decisive win over Evansville, 3-1, was followed by a comeback win over Louisville in OT, 2-1, and was extended with a 2-0 win over Wright State last Wednesday. Some highlights:
Paige Maxwell scored in the first two minutes vs. Evansville, Lisa Collison scored two minutes after entering the game and Taylor Moront also scored. Evansville’s goal was an own goal.
Excellent midfield play offensively and defensively was the difference vs. the Purple Aces. Emily Esbrook assisted on each of Ohio State’s first two goals. Sophomore Alex Burzynski gave the team “a ton of energy,” and Ashley Bowyer and Courtney Jenkins gave their typical solid, if not outstanding, efforts.
Ohio State came back from a 1-0 deficit on the strength of two stunning goals to defeat Louisville. Collison set up the tying goal in the 82nd minute, a header by freshman Taylor Moront. Collison then scored the game winner in the 98th minute, off an assist from Ashley Bowyer.
Collison scored three minutes after entering against Wright State and Ali Schwach scored her first goal of the year to stake the Buckeyes to a 2-0 lead.
GK Lauren Robertson was magnificent with four saves in recording her 13th career shutout.
A LITTLE ABOUT INDIANA
The Hoosiers, coached by Mick Lyon, are 5-4-0 this season and 2-2-0 at home. Liz Holby (4g, 1 a) and Chloe McKay (3 g, 3 a) lead the team with nine points and two other players – Devon Beach and Kelly Lawrence – have three goals apiece. Indiana advanced to the third round of the NCAA tournament in 2007. The team is 21-5-3 in its last 29 home contests.
A DH ATTENDANCE RECORD: 3,168
Ohio State is averaging 1,003 fans per game at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium this season. Last Sunday vs. 2007 NCAA tourney team Louisville, the women set an attendance record for a doubleheader (Ohio State’s men followed with a game against Michigan State) with a paid attendance of 3,186 fans.
COLLISON IS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Lisa Collison was named this week’s Big Ten Conference offensive player of the week for her five-point weekend. She was also named to Soccer America’s Team of the Week.
LISA, LISA, LISA!
With the opening goal against Wright State, Collison has now scored seven points in the last three games. She has also passed Lisa Suttmiller (30 goals from 1994-97) to move into second place with 32 career goals. Only Lisa Grubb (35 from 2001-06) has scored more. Collison also ranks fourth at Ohio State with 74 points.
GO BUCKS!
Taylor Moront had a three-game goal-scoring streak end against Wright State. She has three goals off six shots, four of them on goal.
Lisa Collison has scored goals in three consecutive games…all of them game-winners.
Players coming in off the bench had five shots on goal and both goals vs. Wright State.
Caitlyn Martin’s assist vs. WSU tied her with Ashley Bowyer for the team lead with four.
Point scorers during the mini win streak also include assists by Genna Brand and Danielle Scoliere (vs. UE), Bowyer (vs. UL) and Lauren Beachy (vs. WSU).
Bowyer has scored twice on free kicks this season…in the 88th minute vs. Milwaukee and vs. BGSU. She also has two free kick assists.
Click on the above pdf for more notes, statistics, standings and information on Ohio State soccer.
###OhioStateBuckeyes.com###
