Women’s Soccer: Ohio State Opens Home Schedule Friday – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/3/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
COLUMBUS, Ohio The Ohio State women’s soccer team kicks off its home season with two games this week at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium: a 7:30 p.m. game Friday against Charlotte and a 1 p.m. game Sunday against Bowling Green. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for children and groups of 10 or more can purchase tickets in advance for $2 apiece. Ohio State students get in free with a valid student ID.
The Buckeyes are looking for their initial win of the 2008 season. On the road last week, the team dropped two stunning decisions: 4-3 to UW-Milwaukee after tying the game in the 88th minute; and 2-1 in overtime to Marquette after giving up the tying goal with six seconds to play.
Charlotte comes into the game with a 2-1 record. Bowling Green starts the week with an 0-2-1 mark.
LIVE STATS ON THE WEB
Live statistics for both matches are available at OhioStateBuckeyes.com on the main home page, on the women’s soccer front page and also through the women’s soccer schedule page.
PROMOS: I’LL TAKE TWO, PLEASE
The first 500 fans entering the stadium prior to the Charlotte game will receive a free schedule poster. Sunday vs. BGSU, it’s a FUNDay Sunday with $7 good for one ticket, hot dog, soda and popcorn.
THE COACHES
Ohio State women’s soccer is under the direction of 12th-year head coach Lori Walker. Walker has guided the team to four NCAA tournament berths (2002-03-04-07) as well as to two Big Ten tournament champonships (2002 and 2004). She has an Ohio State record of 119-94-18 and an overall mark, which includes two years at Kansas, of 132-117-19.
Charlotte is under the direction of former Ohio State assistant (2001-04) Jon Lipsitz, who is in his fourth year. BGSU is coached by Andy Richards, who is in his ninth year.
BUCKEYES vs. 49ers & FALCONS
The game Friday will be the first between Ohio State and Charlotte, two teams that each qualified for the 2007 NCAA tournament. Ohio State has a 4-1 edge in wins over Bowling Green. The teams last met in 2004 (a 2-0 OSU win).
10th YEAR AT JESSE OWENS
Ohio State is playing home matches in Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium for the 10th season. It has been a advantageous home. Consider:
The home team is 59-26-7 all-time there.
Ohio State is 40-9-5 the last five years there
and 15-4-1 the last two seasons.
Ohio State went 10-2 at home in 2007.
2008 TEAM CAPTAINS
Senior Amy Graeff and junior Ashley Bowyer are the team captains and third-year sophomore Cassie Dickerson is an assistant captain.
THE 2008 SEASON…SO FAR
Ohio State fought back from 2-0 and 3-1 deficits to UW-Milwaukee in its season opener last Wednesday to tie the game at 3-all, only to lose the game late in regulation. Genna Brand, Paige Maxwell and Ashley Bowyer scored goals. Bowyer’s was unassisted in the 88th minute that tied the score at 3-all. A collision in the box between GK Lauren Robertson and a Panther was called in favor of the home team (it could have gone either way) and the Panthers won the game on a penalty kick.
Arrrrrrgggghhhhhh!
Two nights later Ohio State was clinging to a 1-0 lead and facing a barrage of Marquette shots, most of them from long range and only 20 percent of them on goal, but ended up losing in OT after giving up the tying goal with six seconds left to play. Emily Esbrook had the Buckeye goal. Head coach Lori Walker:
“When you don’t pressure the other team’s defense then you give them confidence. How we played this game is something we will learn from and not have to deal with it again.”
A BRAND NEW DAY
Sophomore Genna Brand, who’s ability to be in great goal scoring places is among the best Ohio State has had, according to Lori Walker, scored the first goal of the season for Ohio State and added an assist in game two and leads the team with three points. Brand had two goals and four points in 2007 as a true freshman.
MARTIN HAS A HAT TRICK
Well not really, but she sort of has one. True freshman Caitlyn Martin has points in her first two games as a Buckeye, recording an assist against UW-Milwaukee and Marquette. If you include her goal in an exhibition game vs. Kentucky, she has points in all three of her collegiate games.
OHIO STATE STATS & NOTES…
Neither Milwaukee or Marquette are cupcakes. Milwaukee has been to five NCAAs and Marquette is coming off a 12-win season and is picked third in the BIG EAST Conference.
Caitlin Colfer has moved into a tie for 14th place in career assists with 10.
Lisa Collison’s assist vs. Milwaukee was her 65th career point.
THE CHARLOTTE 49ers
Charlotte has won more games each year under coach Jon Lipsitz with 11 wins in 2005, 14 in ’06 and 16 plus an NCAA berth in ’07. Whitney Weinraub, this week’s Atlantic 10 Player of the Week, and Hailey Beam lead the 49ers with three goals and seven points apiece. Sam Huecker and Oni Bernard lead with three assists each. The 49ers continue their road trip Sunday with a game at Pitt.
YOU PROBABLY DID NOT KNOW THIS
Charlotte is the home of college football’s Bronko Nagurski Award, presented by the Charlotte Touchdown Club. Buckeye James Laurinaitis was the first true sophomore to win the award, in 2006. Laurinaitis leads the Buckeye defense. “Lauren-I-tis” leads the soccer team’s defense, too: Laurens Robertson, Steuer and Beachy.
BGSU TO DATE
Bowling Green plays at IPFW Friday before hitting Columbus on Sunday. The Falcons are 0-2-1 with losses to Cincinnati (3-1) and Michigan State (3-0) and a scoreless tie with Oakland. Picked to finish third in the MAC, the Falcons have a goal this year from Gina Rossi and GK Alexa Arsenault has made 23 saves.
Click on the attached PDF for notes, quotes, stats, career leaders and more good stuff on Ohio State soccer.
###OhioStateBuckeyes.com###
