Nov. 18, 2016
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 24 Ohio State women’s soccer team saw its 2016 season come to a close in a heartbreaking 1-0 double-overtime loss to No. 1 West Virginia Friday night at Dick Dlesk Stadium in Morgantown. In the 104th minute, West Virginia’s Michaela Abam played a cross from the left wing that snuck over Ohio State goalkeeper Devon Kerr and just inside the near post to send the Mountaineers to the Sweet 16.
With the loss, the Buckeyes conclude the 2016 season with an 11-7-3 record after advancing to the program’s seventh NCAA Tournament in the last eight seasons.
“I’m extremely proud of this team tonight,” Lori Walker, Ohio State head coach, said. “There are so many emotions when a season ends but to watch this team come together over the course of this season was great. To watch our seniors, in particular, play their best soccer tonight was a proud moment. The heart that those players have is something to be proud of and I’m really proud of what I think was a great run by us.”
PRINCE WITH BUCKEYES’ BEST CHANCE IN FIRST 45
In the 28th minute, Nichelle Prince gathered just inside midfield and dribbled past a pair of Mountaineers before hitting a low strike from 25 yards toward the left post but West Virginia goalkeeper Michelle Newhouse lunged to her right to make the diving stop.
WVU NARROWLY MISSES
In the 30th minute, Amandine Pierre-Louis played a cross from the left wing toward the far post where Sh’Nia Gordon’s volley missed wide right. Two minutes later, a failed clearance of a West Virginia corner fell to the foot of Kadeisha Buchanan but her shot from 12 yards out on the left side of the box narrowly flew wide right as the match headed into the half scoreless.
KERR COMES UP HUGE IN THE 70th
With 20 minutes remaining, Hannah Abraham broke free on the left wing and played a cross toward Grace Cutler at the center of the box. Cutler redirected it toward the left post but Kerr dove to her right to deflect the shot wide and keep the match scoreless.
AND THE 82nd
A cross from the left wing fell perfectly to the foot of a wide-open Ashley Woolpert but Kerr was able to come out from goal and make another huge save on a shot from 10 yards.
BUCKEYES CREATE TWO MORE CHANCES LATE
Less than a minute later, Prince broke free on the counter and was able to get a shot off from the center of the box but a West Virginia defender was able to clear it out of the six-yard box. A minute after that, Lindsay Agnew was able to get a glimpse of goal past Buchanan but her right-footed blast from 15 yards sailed over the crossbar.
PRINCE FINDS AGNEW EARLY IN OT
Less than two minutes into overtime, Prince slotted a through ball to Agnew at the top of the box but Newhouse came off her line to pick the ball off the foot of the Ohio State senior to keep it a scoreless game heading into the second extra period.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Shots: West Virginia 26, Ohio State 5
Saves: Ohio State 3, West Virginia 2
Shots on Goal: West Virginia 4, Ohio State 2
Corner Kicks: West Virginia 8, Ohio State 2
BUCKEYE BITS
– Nichelle Prince concludes her career in a tie for eighth on the Ohio State career goals list with 27. The senior also moved into fourth place on the Buckeyes’ career assists list with 20 and sixth with 74 career points.
– Lindsay Agnew also concludes her career fourth with 19 career assists, tied for 13th with 55 career points and 15th with 17 career goals.
– The Buckeyes advanced their seventh NCAA Tournament in the last eight seasons. It is the 11th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, all under the direction of head coach Lori Walker.
– The first half marked the first half this season West Virginia was held without a shot on goal.
