Ohio State
Northwestern
Northwestern, Central Michigan on Tap for Final Regular Season Weekend
10/31/2024 7:01:00 AM | Field Hockey
No. 4 Ohio State checks in at third in the Big Ten standings
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The fourth-ranked Ohio State field hockey team (13-3, 4-3 B1G) will finish up regular season play this weekend. First, the Buckeyes will travel to Evanston, Ill. to face Big Ten foe and No. 1-ranked Northwestern (17-0, 7-0 B1G) on Friday at 4 p.m. EST. Ohio State will then return home on Sunday for this season's Senior Day game against Central Michigan (3-12) at 1 p.m.
Admission to Sunday's game is free, as is parking. Fans are encouraged to park in the lots adjacent to the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. More information on live stats and Ohio State's schedule can be found on OhioStateBuckeyes.com.
The Basics
No. 4 Ohio State at No. 1 Northwestern // Friday, Nov. 1 // 4 p.m. EST // Lakeside Field // Evanston, Illinois
Watch: BTN // Ohio State Roster // Northwestern Roster // Ohio State Schedule
No. 4 Ohio State vs. Central Michigan // Sunday, Nov. 3 // 1 p.m. // Buckeye Varsity Field // Columbus, Ohio
Watch: B1G+ // Ohio State Roster // Central Michigan Roster // Ohio State Schedule
Briefly on the Buckeyes
- Ohio State is coming off a 1-1 weekend at home. Last Friday, the Buckeyes topped Indiana in a shootout thriller, 2-1, but fell to No. 16 Iowa on Sunday by a 3-0 decision.
- The Buckeyes check in at No. 4 in the latest National Field Hockey Coaches Association Top 20 poll. Ohio State has been ranked in every poll this season, with all but the preseason being in the top 10.
- Friday's matchup with No. 1 Northwestern will be Ohio State's ninth and final game against a ranked opponent in the regular season. The Buckeyes are 6-2 against ranked teams and have combined for 22 goals in those contests.
- The scarlet and gray are currently ranked fifth in the nation in goals against average (0.92). Ohio State is sixth nationally in three stat categories: winning percentage (0.813), scoring margin (1.95) and save percentage (0.795).
- Forward Makenna Webster leads Ohio State in goals this season with 13, good for third in the Big Ten. Four other Buckeyes total five or more goals this year: Katie Fichtner with seven and Hallie Brost, Brenna Bough and Lindsey Roberts with five apiece.
- Webster only needs three more to reach her 100 in her career. The St. Louis native checks in at 11th in program history.
- Goalkeeper Abby Danson sits in fourth place nationally in goals against average (0.83). Danson totals 52 saves in 2024 and has six shutouts to her credit.
- The Buckeye defense has only allowed multiple goals in three out of 16 games this season. Ohio State holds a 48-15 advantage in goals so far this year.
Scouting Northwestern
- Northwestern (17-0) is one of two unbeaten teams left in the nation. On Sunday, the Wildcats took home their second-straight outright Big Ten regular season title with a 5-0 victory over Michigan State.
- Ohio State is 29-39-2 all-time against Northwestern, with seven of the last 10 meetings being decided by only one goal. The last time the teams met was in 2023 in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, with the Wildcats winning 3-1.
- Northwestern ranks first in the Big Ten in six of nine stat categories: goals (64), assists (56), shots (334), goals against average (0.53), save percentage (88.6) and shutouts (11)
- Senior goalkeeper Annabel Skubisz is first in the nation for save percentage with 0.892. Skubisz and the Wildcat defense have only allowed nine goals by its opponents this year.
- The 2024 U.S. Olympic Field Hockey Team featured three Wildcats: players senior Maddie Zimmer and sophomore Ashley Sessa, and head coach Tracey Fuchs. Sessa, a forward, leads the Big Ten in assists (13) and points (49).
- Senior Regan Cornelius is the only Wildcat on the 2024 roster from Ohio (New Albany).
Scouting Central Michigan
- The Chippewas sit at 3-12 on the season, with five of their losses being decided by only one goal.
- Central Michigan has a two-game weekend in the Buckeye State. Before they travel to Columbus, the squad will head to Athens to face the Bobcats on Friday.
- With 1.313 assists/game, the Chippewas come in at third in the Mid-American conference for the stat. Out of nine teams, Central Michigan checks in at fourth four three other stats: goals (25), shots (153) and points (71).
- Ohio State is 16-5 against Central Michigan. The teams last met in 2022, where the Buckeyes won by a 7-1 score in Columbus.
- Junior Mallory Camryn leads the Chippewas in goals (13) and points (21), both of which are good for third in the MAC.
Looking Ahead
- The Big Ten Tournament bracket will be finalized on Friday night following the conclusion of the regular season conference games.
- The Buckeyes have clinched a berth in the tournament and can finish with a seed as high as No. 2 and as low at No. 5.
- An Ohio State win coupled with losses by Maryland and Michigan would give the Buckeyes the No. 2 seed; the Buckeyes would be the No. 5 seed in the event of a loss to Northwestern and wins by Maryland and Michigan.
- The tournament gets underway next Thursday, Nov. 7 at the University of Maryland. The opening round games will be streamed on B1G+ followed by the semifinals (Friday) and finals (Sunday) live on BTN.
Ohio State's record when…
At home: 8-1
On the road: 5-2
In overtime: 2-0
Outshooting its opponents: 11-1
Out-cornering its opponents: 9-2
Against ranked opponents: 6-2
Against unranked opponents: 7-1
Scoring the first goal: 9-0
When opponent scores first goal: 4-3
On Friday: 7-0
On Sunday: 6-3
Senior Salute
- Sunday's game against Central Michigan will serve as this year's senior day. A dozen Buckeyes will be honored: Makenna Webster, Abby Danson, Sarah Richards, Maya Walker, Kari Melberger, Hanna Killeen, Claudia Thomas, Erin Little, Hallie Brost, Cameryn Forgash, Jenna Zunic and Olivia Zettervall.
- The group has combined to play in 551 games for Ohio State and totals 68 goals, 60 assists and 196 points. They've led the Buckeyes to four Big Ten Tournament berths and have won 51 games since the start of the 2020 season.
- Webster, Richards, Melberger (Bucknell) and Walker (Columbia) have all earned undergraduate degrees already and are pursuing a master's at Ohio State. All four are enrolled in Ohio State's College of Education and Human Ecology.
