No. 7 Ohio State Blanks Penn State, 5-0

Tuesday, September 17

University Park, PA

6 p.m.

Ohio State

6-0-1, 1-0-0

Penn State University

2-5-0, 0-2-0

Ohio St.

Penn St.

Photo by: Kirk Irwin

No. 7 Ohio State Blanks Penn State, 5-0

9/17/2024 8:10:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

Buckeyes are home Sunday against Rutgers (6 p.m.)

COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 7 Ohio State (6-0-1, 1-0-0) dominated both halves in a convincing 5-0 win at Penn State (2-5-0, 0-2-0) Tuesday at Jeffrey Field in University Park, Pennsylvania.

The Buckeyes scored twice in the first and three times in the second half and outshot the Nittany Lions 22-5 with an 18-1 advantage in corner kicks.

The last time Ohio State attempted 16 corner kicks in a match was against Oakland in a 2-1 win Oct. 10, 2-1 in Columbus.

Redshirt freshman keeper Patrick McLaughlin improved to 4-0 on the year while recording his second combined clean sheet to go with one solo shutout on the year.

Ohio State has now won six-consecutive matches for the first time since an eight-match win streak during the 2015 season.

How It Happened
After the Buckeyes dominated early with the first 11 shots and 11 corner kicks, Ohio State finally got one by Penn State keeper Andrew Cook when Luciano Pechota scored off a feed from Michael Adedokun in the 28^th minute.

The goal was the second of the season for Pechota and his eighth career score. Adedokun has three assists this year and 13 for his career.

27' | Pechota receives a pass from Adedokun to take the lead against the Nittany Lions. This is Pechota's second goal of the season. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/VimJt7545P
— Ohio State Men's Soccer (@OhioStateMSOC) September 17, 2024

About five minutes later, Ohio State took the lead at 2-0 on an own goal off a Penn State defender.

32' | Here is a look at the own goal that put the Buckeyes up 2-0. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/PCp5WvKwQk
— Ohio State Men's Soccer (@OhioStateMSOC) September 17, 2024

Ohio State finished the first half with a 12-1 advantage in shots and in corners, 13-0.

Marko Borkovic put the Buckeyes up 3-0 in the 55' when he buried a pass from freshman David Ajagbe. Borkovic now has three goals this season and eight for his career. The assist was the second for Ajagbe this season.

54' | Marko Borkovic scores third goal of the season to extend Ohio State's lead to 3-0. David Ajagbe is credited with the assist. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/cvqLYLbWtl
— Ohio State Men's Soccer (@OhioStateMSOC) September 17, 2024

Pechota scored again just a couple minutes later in the 57' after gathering a rebound and finding the back of the net from right out front for the 4-0 lead.

56' | Pechota notches his second goal of the day, extending Ohio State's lead to 4-0 over Penn State. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/LgH4ZRKEAI
— Ohio State Men's Soccer (@OhioStateMSOC) September 17, 2024

Siggi Magnusson made it 5-0 in the 78' with Borkovic adding the assist. It was Magnusson's first career goal. Borkovic now has four assists this season and 10 for his career.

77' | The Buckeyes extend their lead to 5-0 on the 17th corner kick taken by Ohio State. Siggi Magnusson taps in the score. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/qk3VIW4QIE
— Ohio State Men's Soccer (@OhioStateMSOC) September 17, 2024

The last time Ohio State scored five goals was against Cal St. Fullerton in a 6-1 win in Los Angeles as part of the UCLA Soccer Classic Sept. 16, 2007.

The five goals against the Nittany Lions marked just the seventh time Ohio State scored five or more against a Big Ten opponent and the first time since the 1999 season when the Buckeyes netted seven goals at Wisconsin Oct. 3 in a 7-3 victory.

Ohio State has allowed just one goal over the last four road games over the last two seasons, a span of 360 minutes. Add the final 16 minutes of Ohio State's 3-2 road win over Michigan State Oct. 24, 2023, The Buckeyes have allowed a single goal on the road over the last 376 minutes.

Earlier Tuesday, Ohio State moved to the No. 7 spot in the United Soccer Coaches Poll, its first appearance in the Top 10 since moving to the No. 9 spot after starting 4-0 to start the 2010 season. The No. 7 ranking also the highest in Ohio State history.

The No. 7 ranking also was the highest Ohio State reached in the poll since facing Rutgers as the No. 11 squad nationally Sept. 30, 2022. The Buckeyes are 5-3-1 when ranked among the Top 10 teams nationally.

Prior to the match against the Nittany Lions, Ohio State redshirt junior goalkeeper Max Trejo was named the Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week after a 1-0 shutout of Butler last Friday. Ohio State allowed just eight shots by the Bulldogs with just one on net.

Freshman Nick Skubis also earned the Big Ten Freshman of the Week award for the second-consecutive week after netting the match-winning goal against Butler. Both shots taken this season entering the match with the Nittany Lions were game-winners.

Coach Brian Maisonneuve breaks down the first half against Penn State. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/eKNGHmbeT4
— Ohio State Men's Soccer (@OhioStateMSOC) September 17, 2024

Up Next:
Ohio State returns to Columbus to take on Rutgers at 6 p.m. Sunday at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in a Big Ten Conference matchup. Match time is set for 6 p.m. with B1G+ providing the live stream.

#GoBucks