Sept. 13, 2015
Columbus, Ohio
Bert L. & Iris S. Wolstein Field at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium
No. 15 Ohio State 2 (5-1-1), Bucknell 0 (4-3-1)
Attendance: 645
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 15 Ohio State women’s soccer team blanked Bucknell, 2-0, Sunday afternoon at Bert L. & Iris S. Wolstein Field at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. With the win, the Buckeyes improve to 5-1-1 on the year, while the Bison drop to 4-3-1.
“I think the biggest challenge coming off a loss against a top team is having a high level of energy,” Lori Walker, Ohio State head coach, said. “I think we did a good job of that. We did a solid job of moving the ball and challenging ourselves to play quickly. We had to players to score their first-career goals so it’s really good to start spreading our scoring around.”
After controlling possession and earning multiple chances early, Ohio State took the 1-0 lead in the 21st minute on Bridget Skinner’s first-career goal. Nikki Walts bent a free kick in from 20 yards on the left wing and Skinner headed it down between the legs of Bucknell goalkeeper Jessica Ratner for the Buckeye lead.
Bucknell had its first opportunity in the 28th minute when Alexis Gannon beat an Ohio State defender and fired a shot toward the left post from 15 yards but Ohio State goalkeeper Jillian McVicker was there to make the diving save.
Ohio State almost made it 2-0 in the 37th minute when Walts played a corner that was flicked on by Sammy Edwards straight to Nya Cason but Cason’s strike from eight yards drilled the crossbar and was cleared away.
The Buckeyes took the 1-0 advantage into the break after holding an 11-4 lead in shots, including 6-1 on goal. Bucknell had a 2-1 lead in corner kicks.
Less than a minute into the second half, the Buckeyes almost struck again when Michela Paradiso possessed on the right wing and struck a shot toward the near post that caromed off the crossbar and out of play.
Ohio State then made it 2-0 in the 50th minute when Sarah Roberts scored her first-career goal on a strike from 25 yards that deflected off a Bucknell defender and past Ratner.
The Buckeyes had another opportunity in the 79th minute when Nichelle Prince slipped between a pair a Bucknell defenders and lofted a shot from 12 yards that curled around the outside of the post and out of play.
Bucknell had its best chance of the day when Kendall Ham possessed at the top of the box after a Buckeye giveaway but Devon Kerr came out to make a sliding save on the breakaway opportunity to preserve the 2-0 win.
For the game, the Buckeyes held a 22-5 advantage in shots, 11-2 on goal. Each team tallied three corner kicks.
Ohio State opens Big Ten play at home against Minnesota at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Wisconsin at noon Sunday.
