No. 14 Ohio State Edged by Vanderbilt, 2-1, in NCAA First Round

Nov. 10, 2017

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The fourth-seeded and 14th-ranked Ohio State women’s soccer team was edged by Vanderbilt, 2-1, on a goal in the 89th minute in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Friday night at Bert L. & Iris S. Wolstein Field at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. With the loss, the Buckeyes conclude the season with a 15-5-1 record and the first outright Big Ten regular season championship in program history. Vanderbilt moves on to play the winner of California/Santa Clara next weekend in Columbia, S.C.

“I’m very proud of our seniors and this team overall,” Lori Walker-Hock, Ohio State head coach, said. “I love working with this staff and this has been one of the most enjoyable groups of people to work with in my 21 years at Ohio State. You don’t plan for this and you don’t rehearse it. It hurts so much because you care so much along the way. We have a lot to be proud of but it was a tough way to end the season tonight. Credit to Vanderbilt. They did what they’ve done all year and they were very efficient.”

ROBERTS PUTS THE BUCKEYES ON TOP
After a quiet first half hour, Sarah Roberts’ fifth goal of the season gave the Buckeyes the 1-0 lead in the 30th minute. Arden Holden squared a ball from the left wing to Maddy Lowe, who flicked a through ball to Roberts for the finish from 10 yards past Vanderbilt goalkeeper Kaitlyn Fahrner inside the right post.

GAZMARIAN HEADER ALMOST MAKES IT 2-0
With less than five minutes remaining in the first half, Haley Walker-Robinson played a cross in from the right wing to an unmarked Brianna Gazmarian at the center of the box but her header narrowly missed wide right as the match remained 1-0 heading into the break.

DORSEY EVENS THE SCORE FOR VANDERBILT
Minutes after Fahrner ranged to her right to deflect a Roberts shot wide, Nia Dorsey knotted the score at 1-1 in the 62nd minute for the Commodores. Leila Azari played a cross from the right wing that was flicked on by Lydia Simmons to Dorsey, who finished from inside the six-yard box.

BOWERS CLOSE TO PUTTING BUCKEYES AHEAD AGAIN
Less than five minutes later, Izzy Rodriguez bent a cross in from the left wing to Roberts, whose volley was blocked to the foot of Bowers but her shot from 10 yards narrowly missed the upper-right corner.

AND THEN WOLCOTT HAS A CHANCE
In the 71st minute, Nikki Walts played a long free kick from just inside midfield to the head of Morgan Wolcott but the header from six yards deflected off a Vanderbilt defender and slipped just wide left.

AMACK’S HEADER WINS IT
With just over a minute left in regulation, Azari bent a corner from the left side to a charging Stephanie Amack, who headed it for the game-winner from six yards at the near post.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Shots: Ohio State 15, Vanderbilt 4
Saves: Vanderbilt 3, Ohio State 2
Shots on Goal: Ohio State 4, Vanderbilt 4
Corner Kicks: Ohio State 4, Vanderbilt 2

BUCKEYE BITS
– Ohio State suffered its first loss of the season when scoring first. The Buckeyes were 15-0-0 when scoring first heading into the match.
– Sammy Edwards finishes her career in a tie for eighth on the Ohio State career goals list with 27 and in sole possession of the Buckeyes career points list with 63.
– Nikki Walts wraps up her Buckeye career in fourth place on the Buckeyes’ career assists list with 22.
– Devon Kerr, who tied for second on the Ohio State single-season shutout list with nine, concludes her junior season tied for fifth on the Buckeyes’ career clean sheet ledger with 11.

Match: Vanderbilt at No. 14 Ohio State (NCAA First Round)
Date: Nov. 10, 2017
Venue: Bert L. & Iris S. Wolstein Field at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium – Columbus, Ohio
Kickoff: 6 p.m. ET
Attendance: 331
Weather: Clear and 28 degrees