No. 17 Buckeyes Fall to No. 13 Illinois, 2-1, on Buckeyes Go Pink Night – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/22/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
COLUMBUS, Ohio – 17th-ranked Ohio State dropped a 2-1 decision as 13th-ranked Illinois handed the Buckeyes their first conference loss on Buckeyes Go Pink night Thursday evening at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. With the loss, the Buckeyes drop to 12-3-1 but remain atop the Big Ten with a 6-1-0 record. It also snaps the Buckeyes’ seven-match win streak dating back to Sept. 19. Illinois improves to 11-2-1, 4-1-1 in the Big Ten.
Niki Read pulled up from 30 yards out and bent a shot around the Buckeye defense and just inside the right post in the 84th minute to give Illinois the win.
The Buckeyes had multiple early chances, outshooting the Fighting Illini 4-1 and 3-0 on goal over the first 20 minutes. Lauren Granberg controlled a long ball in the box for Ohio State in the 12th minute but Illinois goalkeeper Alexandra Kapicka made the diving save to keep the match scoreless.
Neither team had much in the way of chances over the final 25 minutes as the Buckeyes and the Fighting Illini went into the break scoreless. Shots were tied at five at the half with Ohio State holding a 3-1 advantage in shots on goal.
Less than a minute into the second half, Granberg had another solid opportunity but her shot from the middle of the box, 10 yards out was deflected over the crossbar by Kapicka.
Then freshman Danica Wu gave the Buckeyes the lead in the 52nd minute when she received a pass from Granberg just outside the top of the box and buried her shot into the upper right-hand corner of the net from 20 yards out off the outstretched hand of Kapicka. The goal marked the first of Wu’s young career.
The Fighting Illini scored the equalizer 10 minutes later on the 10th goal of the season by freshman Vanessa DiBernardo. DiBernardo receive a pass from Marissa Mykines and fired a shot from 25 yards out that deflected off the hands of goalkeeper Rachel Middleman.
Ohio State had another excellent chance with just over 20 minutes remaining but the shot from Lauren Steuer sailed just over the right corner of the crossbar.
For the match, the Fighting Illini outshot the Buckeyes 13-11 but Ohio State held a 7-5 advantage in shots on goal.
The Buckeyes travel to Purdue for a 1 p.m. matchup Sunday in West Lafayette, Ind. The match will be shown on same day tape delay on Big Ten Network at 5 p.m.
