Ohio State Beats Michigan, Earns B1G Tournament Bid

Friday, October 30

Ann Arbor, Mich.

5 p.m.

Ohio State

(7-10, 2-6)

Michigan

(6-10, 1-7)

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Ohio St.	1	0	1	0	2
Michigan	0	0	0	1	1

10/30/2026 8:12:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State field hockey team won its final game of the regular season against Michigan Friday evening in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Buckeyes (7-10, 2-6 B1G) earned a 2-1 win over the Wolverines (6-10, 1-7 B1G) to cement their spot in the 2026 Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament.

How it Happened

Ohio State earned the first penalty corner of the game, which led to its first shot and goal. Autum Kernechel inserted the corner, Victoria Kutz was the stopper at the top of the circle and Phillippa Jowett was there to send a shot into the bottom left corner of the cage for the 1-0 Ohio State lead less than five minutes into the game.
The Buckeyes held off four first quarter penalty corners from the Wolverines and only allowed two shots in the opening 15 minutes of the game.
The second frame was nearly identical to the first as Michigan narrowly outshot the Buckeyes, 2-1, and outcornered Ohio State, 4-1. The only difference statistically was the score, with neither team finding the back of the net. Ohio State took the 1-0 lead into halftime.
Ohio State doubled its lead on its second penalty corner of the third quarter at 35:03. Kernechel was on the insert again and this time it was Anne Marie Krebs setting up Katie Fichtner for the shot into the bottom left for the second time of the night.
The Buckeyes held Michigan without a shot in the third quarter to take the 2-0 lead into the fourth.
The Wolverines fought back in the final frame, outshooting the Buckeyes 8-0 in the last 15 minutes of the regular season. Michigan opened the quarter with four penalty corners in the first two minutes. Ohio State goaltender made her lone save of the game at 46:15 to hold off the Wolverines' onslaught.
Eventually, Michigan found the back of the net at 54:04. The Buckeyes did not allow another shot from the Wolverines for the final 5:56, including 1:49 of an extra field player to end the game.

Buckeyes By the Numbers

Jowett's goal is her fifth of the season and Fichtner's is her second.
Alleva improves to 5-4 on the year with the win.
Kernechel recorded a career-high two assists in the game with the insert on both of the penalty corners that led to goals for the Buckeyes.
The win over Michigan is the team's second consecutive in the series and the first on the road against the Wolverines since 2010.

Up Next
Ohio State faces off against No. 2 seed Maryland Wednesday, Nov. 4 at 2p.m. in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament. The tournament will be held at Buckeye Varsity Field in Columbus.

#GoBucks