Sept. 11, 2015
Columbus, Ohio
Bert L. & Iris S. Wolstein Field at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium
No. 8 West Virginia 2 (6-1-0), No. 15 Ohio State 0 (4-1-1)
Attendance: 624
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 15 Ohio State women’s soccer team fell to No. 8 West Virginia, 2-0, Friday night at Bert L. & Iris S. Wolstein Field at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. With the loss, the Buckeyes fall to 4-1-1 on the year while the Mountaineers improve to 6-1-0.
“I have to give West Virginia credit because we’ve been playing them for 19 years and that is one of the best teams they’ve had,” Lori Walker, Ohio State head coach, said. “They’re very strong in every spot. This was a fantastic opportunity for us to play a team that I think will go far this year and we learned a lot. We had multiple players have terrific games tonight and that is the bar they have to be reaching for every day.”
West Virginia had the first quality opportunity of the match in the fifth minute when a loose ball in the box fell to the foot of Michaela Abam but her shot from the center of the box sailed over the crossbar.
The Mountaineers had another chance in the 28th minute when Amandine Pierre-Louis tracked down a through ball but Ohio State goalkeeper Jillian McVicker came out to make the diving save. Less than a minute later, Kailey Utley slipped in behind the Buckeye defense but McVicker again came out to make the sliding stop to keep the match scoreless on a shot from eight yards.
The teams went into the break scoreless with West Virginia holding a 12-1 lead in shots, 2-1 on goal, and a 2-1 advantage in corner kicks.
The Buckeyes had a great opportunity thwarted in the 68th minute when Lindsay Agnew played a long ball to Nichelle Prince but Prince’s cross directed toward Arden Holden at the center of the box was cleared away.
Less than a minute later, Sydney Dudley had a chance from 25 yards that sailed over the crossbar as the match remained scoreless.
Pierre-Louis had another opportunity for the Mountaineers in the 71st minute when she dribbled past an Ohio State defender and fired a shot from 12 yards on the right wing toward the far post but McVicker made the diving stop.
Ohio State earned another chance in the 75th minute when Michela Paradiso struck a low, driving shot from 20 yards on the left wing but Mountaineer goalkeeper Hannah Steadman was able to make the lunging save.
The Mountaineers then took the lead in the 77th minute when Bianca St. Georges played a corner toward the center of the box and Kadeisha Buchanan headed home the finish from six yards for the 1-0 lead.
Less than two minutes later, West Virginia doubled its lead when Amanda Hill found Kailey Utley with a through ball and Utley snuck her shot from 12 yards below the crossbar for the 2-0 advantage.
Ohio State had another chance to get on the board in the 82nd minute when Paradiso possessed at the top of the box but her shot from 18 yards narrowly missed wide left.
For the game, West Virginia held a 23-5 advantage in shots, 6-3 on frame. Each team tallied three corner kicks.
Ohio State hosts Bucknell at noon Sunday.
