Ohio State
Notre Dame
Buckeyes Clipped by No. 2 Irish, 9-8 – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/26/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
March 26, 2016
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COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State men’s lacrosse team fell to No. 2-ranked Notre Dame, 9-8, Saturday in front of 3,106 fans in Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes led 4-3 at halftime but the Irish scored the only four goals of the third quarter to take a 7-4 lead into the fourth quarter. The teams traded goals twice in the fourth, putting the Irish ahead 9-6 with 5:26 remaining. The Buckeyes drew within one on goals at 3:29 and 2:27, but could not get the equalizer. The game closed out the Buckeyes’ nonconference schedule and was Ohio State’s fourth straight against a Top 15 team.
Next up, Ohio State (5-5, 0-0 B1G) opens Big Ten play Sunday April 3, hosting Penn State at noon in Ohio Stadium, with ESPNU televising the matchup.
Against Notre Dame (6-1, 1-0 ACC), Buckeye junior goalie Tom Carey made 12 saves, with junior Jake Withers winning 13-of-21 faceoffs and picking up four groundballs. Junior Johnny Pearson had a career-high four goals and five points, while senior Carter Brown scored twice. Junior Austin Shanks had a three-point day on a goal and two assists.
WATCH: Highlights from today’s game vs. Notre Dame. https://t.co/FMhxE1JB4r
— Ohio State Men’s LAX (@OhioState_MLAX) March 26, 2016
Ohio State led 3-2 after the first quarter. The Irish opened the scoring with a man-up goal at 11:17 before back-to-back Buckeye goals put Ohio State in the lead. Shanks scored an extra man goal, assisted by Pearson, at 8:33 to tie the game and redshirt junior Tyler Pfister put Ohio State ahead, sneaking a shot through, at 7:39. Notre Dame tied the game at 5:00 but Pearson answered at 3:46, set up by senior Ryan Hunter. Shots were 10-4 in favor of Ohio State in the quarter.
Each team scored once in the second, with the Irish outshooting the Buckeyes, 9-6. The Irish tied the game at three on a man-up goal at 8:23. Pfister found Pearson for a score with 1:59 left in the quarter to put Ohio State ahead (4-3) at halftime.
The Irish controlled most of the third quarter, outscoring the Buckeyes, 4-0, and outshooting Ohio State, 8-4. The Notre Dame goals came at 11:07 to tie the game, 9:15 (with the shot clock on) to put ND ahead, 6:09 and 3:53. Notre Dame led 7-4 after 45 minutes.
At 11:27 of the fourth quarter, Brown drove to the cage and scored to end the Buckeyes’ scoreless streak at 20:32, drawing Ohio State within two (7-5). Notre Dame’s Ryder Garnsey responded at 8:26 with an EMO goal but Pearson tallied his third of the game at 6:56. The Irish scored 90 seconds later to extend the lead to three (9-6).
Ohio State scored the next two goals, with Shanks assisting on both, to pull within one. At 3:29 Pearson scored a man-up goal. Ohio State won the ensuing faceoff and at 2:27 Brown scored his second of the game. The Irish won the next faceoff but senior defenseman Robby Haus forced a turnover and the Buckeyes were able to clear. A Buckeye shot went wide and the Irish picked up the groundball and cleared, allowing them to close the game out. Shots were 12-9 in favor of the Buckeyes in the quarter.
Ohio State outshot Notre Dame, 32-30, in the game. Carey made 12 saves, his fifth game this season with double-digit stops. Notre Dame goalie Shane Doss had six stops.
The Buckeyes won 13-of-21 faceoffs, with Withers taking all 21 for Ohio State. Groundballs were 27-22 in favor of Ohio State, with Withers leading Ohio State with four and freshman Matt Borges and senior Kacy Kapinos each picking up three. Withers, who is among the nation’s leaders in groundballs per game, leads Ohio State with a career-high 78 this season.
Pearson’s four goals and five assists were a career high and the assist was the first of his Buckeye career. Shanks leads Ohio State with 13 assists and 24 points and notched his seventh game this season with multiple points. Brown leads the Buckeyes with 13 goals and now has 99 in his Ohio State career.
