W Soccer: Ohio State Wins Again, Defeats Indiana, 1-0 – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/28/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
COLUMBUS, Ohio Ohio State picked up a crucial road win in its Big Ten Conference opener Sunday, 1-0, at Indiana on a goal in the 78th minute from sophomore Courtney Jenkins off an assist from freshman Paige Maxwell. The win was the team’s fourth consecutive and it improved Ohio State’s record to 4-4-2 overall and 1-0-0 in the Big Ten. Indiana dropped its second Big Ten game of the weekend, after losing to Penn State on Friday, and is now 5-6-0 overall and 0-2-0 in the Big Ten.
“We are a young team and we found a way to win,” Ohio State coach Lori Walker said. “We finished the game off when we needed to.”
Both team’s goalkeepers Ohio State’s Lauren Robertson and Indiana’s Lindsay Campbell were forced to make a key save or saves in the scoreless first half. Robertson, actually, had three saves in the half to Campbell’s one, a terrific stop of a Jenkins header from the right side off an Ashley Bowyer free kick.
The Hoosiers led in first-half shots, 8-4, and also held a 5-1 advantage in corner kicks.
Ohio State picked up the pace in the second half and although opportunities were few for both teams, the Buckeyes had the best chances. A Maxwell header in the 56th minute was saved by Campbell. In the 71st and 73rd minutes, Lauren Beachy had shots just inside of the 18-yard box. One was blocked and the other was high. Then in the 74th minute, Lisa Collison drew a corner kick for Jenkins, although the serve ended up outside of the box and the Buckeyes were not able to get a legitimate shot on goal.
Finally the Buckeyes were able to break through in the 78th minute. Maxwell, who played a spirited, feisty game according to Big Ten Network Announcers Chris Doran and Lisa Grubb, was moving down the right side of the field with the ball when she shifted to her left and dribbled parallel along the top of the 18-yard box. With a couple Hoosiers converging on her, Maxwell flicked a nice touch pass at the last moment to Jenkins on her right and in the box. Jenkins spun with the ball to create space and then fired a left footed shot from about 12-yards out that deflected off the shoulder of a Hoosier defender and into the goal.
The Hoosiers tried making a run in the 87th minute, but Danielle Scolieri made a nice defensive play to take the ball. Moments later Elizabeth Sullivan made a terrific play to clear the ball from two Hoosiers just in front of the 6-yard box. Then inside of 30 seconds left to play, Lauren Steuer deflected a dangerous cross intended for a Hoosier forward who was lurking in the box.
“The biggest thing we tried to adjust after halftime was to play with some rhythm and that is something that is difficult to do against Indiana,” Walker said. “But we did a better job of that in the second half, especially in the midfield. We also were able to stretch the game and utilize the space behind us in the second half and that really helped us.”
Robertson stopped all four shots on goal to record her second shutout of the week and the 14th of her career.
For the game, Indiana totaled 12 shots to eight for Ohio State. The Hoosiers also led in corners, 6-2.
Ohio State will seek its fifth consecutive win at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium when it hosts the Wisconsin Badgers. Then, on Sunday, Ohio State hosts Northwestern in a 3 p.m. game that will feature pink balloon give-aways and other activities in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Game Notes and Other Notes of Interest:
- The win in Bloomington was Ohio State’s second all-time and first since 1995.
- Ohio State has won three consecutive games over Indiana to close the all-time series record to 10-7-2 in favor of the Hoosiers.
- Ohio State is 4-1-1 vs. Indiana since 2004.
- Lauren Robertson’s 14th career shutout moves her into sole possession of third-place in the Ohio State record pages.
- Courtney Jenkins’ goal was her first this season. She had four as a freshman last year when she made the Big Ten Conference all-freshman team.
- Jenkins’ goal was her third career game winner and second vs. a Big Ten Conference team. She scored a game-winner last year vs. Minnesota.
- With the assist, freshman Paige Maxwell now has two goals and two assists for six points this season. She is tied with freshman Taylor Moront for third on the team in points scored.
###OhioStateBuckeyes.com###
