Ohio State
6-4, 0-1Big Ten
Northwestern
6-2, 1-0Big Ten
Buckeyes Drop Big Ten Opener at No. 5 Northwestern
3/19/2022 7:51:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State women's lacrosse team was unable to overcome an early deficit and fell at No. 5 Northwestern in its Big Ten opener, 22-14, Saturday in Evanston, Ill. The Buckeyes drop to 6-4 on the year, with the Wildcats improving to 6-2.
Buckeye senior Chloe Johnson had nine ground balls in the win to break the Ohio State single-season record. She now has 84 this year, topping the previous mark of 79 set by Katie Chase in 2015 and Molly Wood in 2016. She also moved into third place in the career list with 169 draw controls, passing current associate head coach Gabby Capuzzi, who had 166 from 2009-12.
The Short Story
The Buckeyes and Wildcats were tied at one early before a four-goal Northwestern run for a 5-1 lead with 7:27 left in the first quarter. Ohio State scored two of the next three for a 6-3 game after the first stanza. Ohio State notched two of the first three goals to open the second quarter and cut the lead to two (7-5) but the Wildcats responded with a four-goal run to push the lead to 11-5. The Buckeyes notched back-to-back goals in the final 2:34 but a Wildcat tally with 19 seconds left made the score 12-7 at halftime.
Ohio State opened the third quarter with three straight goals to again make it a two-goal contest (12-10). The Wildcats broke the game open with a six-goal run, with five to close out the third quarter. The Buckeyes scored twice early in the fourth before another stretch of four Northwestern tallies. Ohio State tallied the last two for the 22-14 final.
Jamie Level led the Buckeyes with four goals and five points, while Jamie Lasda had a hat trick and an assist for a four-point day. Nicole Ferrara (2g, 1a) and Sophie Baez (1g, 2a) each posted three points and Lindsay Epstein scored twice. Chloe Johnson had a team-high nine draw controls, with Level and Epstein each recording four. Jane Cowley had a team-best four ground balls and she and Sarah Johnson were first with two caused turnovers each.
Up Next
Ohio State will host Penn State at 2:30 p.m. next Saturday in Ohio Stadium, with the game televised by BTN. Admission and parking are free.
How it Happened
- Northwestern opened the scoring 41 seconds into the game but the Buckeyes answered less than a minute later with a Jamie Lasda tally.
- The Wildcats then went on a four-goal run for a 5-1 lead at 6:23.
- Ohio State scored the next two, with a Lasda player-down, free-position goal at 3:29 and Nicole Ferrara tally from right outside the crease, assisted by Sophie Baez, at 1:23 for a two-goal game (5-3). Northwestern scored the final goal of the first quarter for a 6-3 game after 15 minutes.
- The Buckeyes notched two of the first three goals of the second quarter, by Jamie Level on a free position shot and Ali Beekhuizen unassisted, to make the score 7-5 at 10:37. The Wildcats answered with a stretch of four straight goals to move to a six-goal lead (11-7) at 5:03.
- Level and Lindsay Epstein scored in a 1:05 span at 2:34 and 1:29 before a Northwestern player-up goal with 19 seconds left in the half. Northwestern led 12-7 through 30 minutes.
- The third quarter started with three straight Buckeye goals to draw within two (12-10). Ferrara opened the scoring, assisted by Level, at 12:16, Caly O'Brien scored at 10:57 and Baez set up Level 39 seconds later.
- Northwestern again responded with a string of goals, scoring five in a row to close out the third quarter and the first tally of the fourth quarter. The Wildcats held a 17-10 advantage entering the fourth.
- Lasda completed her hat trick at 12:17 and set up Baez for a goal at 10:49.
- The Wildcats tallied the next four. In the last 1:50, Level scored on a free position shot and Ferrara found Epstein for the game's final goal.
- Each team had 35 shots in the game. Regan Alexander started for the Buckeyes and had seven saves, with Claire Morris closing out the game. Northwestern's goalie had 12 stops.
- The teams were also even in draw controls, with 10 each. For the Buckeyes, Chloe Johnson had nine, with Level and Epstein each recording four.
- Sarah Johnson and Jane Cowley each had four caused turnovers to lead the Buckeyes. Cowley also had a team-best four ground balls, with Ohio State ahead as a team, 17-16.
Noting the Buckeyes
- Level had an Ohio State career-high four goals and five points after two career hat tricks.
- Lasda leads the Buckeyes with 28 goals and 35 points. Ferrara is first with 11 assists and second with 18 goals and 29 points.
- Ferrara moved her point streak to 15 with a three-point outing. She has 34 goals, 14 assists and 38 points during her scoring streak.
- With a hat trick and four points, Lasda extended her point streak to 11 games, with 29 goals and 36 points in the stretch. She now has six games with three-plus goals and seven with three-plus points.
- Cowley leads the Buckeyes with 15 caused turnovers this season, with three games with three this year.
