No. 4 Ohio State Travels to Kentucky for Tuesday Battle

No. 4 Ohio State at Kentucky
Date: Sept. 8, 2026
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Venue: Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex (1,500)
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: Statbroadcast.com
Rosters: Ohio State | Kentucky

COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 4 Ohio State (4-0-0) enters the road contest, the first for the Buckeyes this season, with Kentucky (0-2-2) Tuesday perfect through four games, outscoring opponents 14–0 and establishing itself as one of the top two-way teams in the country.

The Buckeyes average 22.3 shots per game, converting on a .157 clip, and they've generated 38 shots on goal across four matches. The attack is built around senior Isaiah Chisolm, who has exploded for seven goals, including a hat trick against Northern Kentucky. He currently leads the nation in goals scored. The Kentucky transfer has three game-winning scores as well.

His finishing efficiency, .500 shot percentage and .643 SOG percentage, is among the best nationally. Supporting him are Nyle Waugh, Jack Wayne, and Aaron Hurge, each contributing goals that stretch defenses.

Defensively, Ohio State has been impenetrable. Goalkeeper Patrick McLaughlin has played all 360 minutes without conceding, backed by a back line that allows just 4.5 shots per game. Opponents have managed seven shots on goal total.

Kentucky has conceded nine goals while scoring five, and their opponents' shot percentage (.164) nearly doubles their own (.081). The Wildcat attack generates 15.5 shots per game.

Costa Iliadis leads Kentucky with a goal and three assists, while Yasha Schaerer, Michael Lee and Tom Keller have each found the net.

Kentucky has allowed 55 opponent shots, including 35 in second halves.

The Buckeyes opened the ninth edition of Brian Maisonneuve's tenure in Columbus in the first of four-consecutive home contests, all wins by shutout, against Virginia Tech (Aug. 20/W, 1-0) at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
Against the Hokies, newcomer Isaiah Chisolm, a transfer from Kentucky, scored the match winner in the 58'. He scored on a header from a corner kick delivered by freshman Jack Wayne.
Ohio State then battled DePaul (W, 6-0) and Memphis (W, 2-0) during Wolstein Week (924-28/26). Northern Kentucky ended (W, 5-0) the season-opening homestand.
Chisolm recorded a hat trick in the most recent win over NKU. It was the first three-goal game for a Buckeye since Danny Jensen did so in a 4-1 home win over Valparaiso (9/21/16) .
The four shutouts to open a season is an Ohio State record. The last time Ohio State opened the season with three-consecutive shutouts was in 2010 when the Buckeyes defeated Charleston (1-0) and Buffalo (2-0) in the Wolstein Classic in Columbus before a 1-0 win over Binghampton (1-0) at the Penn State Challenge.
In 2022, the Buckeyes posted four-consecutive shutouts after opening the season with a draw (1-1) against South Carolina. Ohio State then posted victories over Cal Poly (3-0), at Bowling Green (1-0), Wright State (2-0) and Butler (2-2).
The last time Ohio State recorded five or more consecutive shutouts was in 2017 when the Buckeyes won against Lehigh (2-0), Wright State (2-0), at Northwestern (1-0), Penn State (3-0), at Rutgers (1-0) and against Bowling Green (1-0)
The last Ohio State team to start 5-0 was the 1986 team with a 5-0 start. The 1977 sqaud opened the year 7-0.
Against Kentucky, Ohio State is 9-6-4 all-time in the series. The Buckeyes won the last meeting 3-0 Sept. 19, 2023 in Columbus.
Defender Martin Wurschmidt was recognized by the Big Ten with the Defensive Player of the Week award after the two Ohio State shutouts to open the season. He also added the game-winning goal against DePaul on a free kick in the first half.
The season-opening wins also helped the Buckeyes move into the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 at the No. 22 spot (Aug. 25). Ohio State moved to No. 4 (Sept. 1). The Buckeyes opened the 2025 season ranked No. 3 after advancing to the 2024 College Cup and ending that year in the No. 3 spot.
As a team, the 2025 Buckeyes earned a United Soccer Coaches College Team Academic Award after posting a team grade-point average of 3.31.
Hurge, a sophomore, was a member of the 2025 All-Big Ten Freshman Team, is one of 13 returners from a year ago. He is the top returning goal scorer (2) with 16 appearances and seven starts to his credit entering 2026.
Wurschmidt was named to the 2026 United Soccer Coaches MAC Hermann Trophy Positional Players to Watch List prior to the season. Wurschmidt, a junior defender who played last season at Evansville, made the defenders watch list. He also was named to TopDrawerSoccer's Preseason Top 100 list.
Following a team vote, seniors Andre Roberts and Patrick McLaughlin were named team captains for the 2026 season.
Roberts, along with newcomers Wurschmidt and Chisolm, were named as Ohio State representatives on the Big Ten's 2026 Players to Watch list.

#GoBucks

Departments

Media

More

University

Information

Athletic Facilities

Athletics

The Team Shop

Get In The Game

Purchase Tickets

Purchase Tickets

Ticket Office

Resources

Schedules