Ohio State
Lehigh
Ohio State Travels to Lehigh & Lafayette to Open 2023 Season
8/24/2023 6:54:00 AM | General, Field Hockey
Buckeyes return seven starters from a 2022 squad that won 11 games
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The 53rd field hockey season at Ohio State begins this weekend in the state of Pennsylvania, as the Buckeyes are scheduled to take on Lehigh (Friday, 6 p.m.) and Lafayette (Sunday, 3:30 p.m.). Information on live stats and streaming for both games can be found on the schedule page of OhioStateBuckeyes.com.
The Basics
Ohio State at Lehigh // Friday, Aug. 25 // 6 p.m. // Ulrich Stadium // Bethlehem, Pa.
Watch: ESPN+ // Live Stats // Ohio State Roster // Ohio State Schedule // Lehigh Roster // Lehigh Schedule
Ohio State at Lafayette // Sunday, Aug. 26 // 3:30 p.m. // Rappolt Field // Easton, Pa.
Watch: ESPN+ // Live Stats // Ohio State Roster // Ohio State Schedule // Lafayette Roster // Lafayette Schedule
Buckeyes in a Nutshell
- Ohio State is coming off a 2022 campaign that saw it win 11 games – including victories in seven of their last 10 contests – and qualify for the Big Ten Tournament, which was held at Buckeye Varsity Field in Columbus.
- The 2023 Buckeyes return three of their top five scorers from last season, the majority of its starting defense and their goalie.
- The fifth-year seniors in this year's team are Leanne Bough, Delaney Lawler and Julie Rodijk, a transfer from UAlbany.
- Bough and Lawler have combined to play in 138 games over the past four years.
- Other key returnees are senior Makenna Webster (15 points last season), junior Claudia Thomas (four goals, five assists in 2022), junior Hallie Brost (16 career points in 37 games) and sophomore Zella Bailey (seven points last season as a true freshman).
- In goal, senior Abby Danson is one of the most experienced players in the Big Ten; last season, her .790 save percentage ranked sixth nationally and 1.12 goals-against average was fourth.
- Head coach Jarred Martin begins his seventh season at Ohio State. Last fall, he registered his 50th career win and has a 56-54 record over his tenure.
Scouting Lehigh
- Lehigh was 13-8 last season and 4-2 in Patriot League play. The Mountain Hawks defeated Boston University 2-1 in the tournament championship game to earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
- Lehigh is picked fifth in the Patriot League preseason poll.
- A pair of seniors – Abbie Brown and Julia Gatelein – were selected to the preseason All-Patriot League team.
- Head coach Kelsi Lykens begins her first season leading the Mountain Hawks; previously, she was the head coach at New Haven.
Scouting Lafayette
- Picked to finish fourth in the Patriot League preseason poll, Lafayette had two players land on the All-Patriot League preseason team: juniors Lineke Spaans and India Ralph.
- Included in Lafayette's seven wins last season with a 2-1 overtime triumph at No. 7 Princeton on Sept. 25.
- Head coach Jennifer Stone begins her 11th season at Lafayette this fall. Just two seasons ago – in 2021 – her team finished 14-6 and played in the Patriot League Tournament championship game.
More on the 2023 Buckeyes
- The Buckeyes' 32-person roster includes seven returning starters.
- Sixty six percent of Ohio State's goal output from last season returns in 2023. Twelve different players scored goals last season and 10 of them are on this year's roster.
- Senior Abby Danson is 33 saves away from entering the top 10 on Ohio State's career list.
- Her .698 save percentage already is seventh-best in career history.
- Since 2017, Ohio State is 4-2 in season openers.
- Friday's game will be just the fifth all-time between Ohio State and Lehigh; last season, the Buckeyes opened their home schedule with a 4-0 victory over the Engineers.
- The Buckeyes are 2-0 all-time against Lafayette with the last game occurring in 2021, a 4-3 overtime triumph.
