Oct. 16, 2016
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 17 Ohio State women’s soccer team played to a scoreless draw with No. 19 Rutgers on Senior Day Sunday afternoon at Bert L. & Iris S. Wolstein Field at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. The Buckeyes now sit at 9-5-3 overall, 3-3-3 in the Big Ten, while the Scarlet Knights are 9-2-5, 4-1-4 in conference play.
“Our energy was exceptional today,” Lori Walker, Ohio State head coach, said. “We were taken to overtime by a very good team and continued to fight and attack. We did everything we needed to do today to win except find the back of the net. We created the chances we needed to. We are two very good soccer teams and we neutralized each other in a lot of ways today and it’s just unfortunate we couldn’t find a way in on one of those breakaways. Defensively, we wanted to secure things and not give up opportunities in transition and we did that very well, even if it was a little bit at the expense of having our outside backs in high attacking positions. All in all, we executed very well.”
BUCKEYES CONTROL POSSESSION IN SCORELESS FIRST
Ohio State had the best of the few first-half opportunities. In the 10th minute, Nikki Walts found Nichelle Prince with her back to goal at the top of the box. Prince turned and fired a left-footed strike but it was right at Rutgers goalkeeper Alana Jimenez.
Five minutes later, Prince broke free just outside the top of the box and struck a shot from 20 yards also right into the arms of Jimenez.
EDWARDS WITH A CHANCE IN THE 51st
Just over five minutes into the second half, Walts played a free kick from the left wing toward the far post where Sammy Edwards was able to get her head on it but the shot narrowly missed wide right.
KERR THWARTS RUTGERS OPPORTUNITY
In the 65th minute, Rutgers forward Coly Ciarrocca tracked down a long ball at the top of the box but Ohio State goalkeeper Devon Kerr, making her first start of the year, came out to pick the ball off her foot and stop the one-on-one opportunity.
AGNEW CONTINUES TO CAUSE PROBLEMS
In the 71st minute, Lindsay Agnew made a beautiful run down the center of the field before slotting a through ball to Prince but Jimenez came out to make a diving save on the shot headed toward the left side of the goal.
Two minutes later, Morgan Wolcott played a long free kick from past midfield that deflected off a pair of players in the box to the foot of Agnew but her volley from eight yards drilled the crossbar and was cleared away.
The final quality opportunity of the match came with five minutes remaining when Agnew broke free at the top of the box and beat Jimenez toward the left post but her shot just missed inches wide of the left post.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Shots: Ohio State 10, Rutgers 7
Saves: Rutgers 4, Ohio State 2
Shots on Goal: Ohio State 4, Rutgers 2
Corner Kicks: Ohio State 1, Rutgers 0
BUCKEYE BITS
– Ohio State is now 2-0-3 in overtime matches this season and 5-0-6 over the last two campaigns. In all, the Buckeyes are undefeated in their last 14 overtime matches.
– The shutout marked the Buckeyes’ sixth of the year and the first by Kerr.
– The Buckeyes recognized seniors Lindsay Agnew, Alexis Degler, Megan Geldernick, Jillian McVicker, Nicole Miyashiro, Nichelle Prince and Bridget Skinner prior to their final home regular-season match.
UP NEXT
Ohio State travels to Michigan at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
