Sept. 18, 2016
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The No. 7 Ohio State women’s soccer team fell to No. 13 Minnesota, 3-0, at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. With the loss, the Buckeyes drop to 6-3-1, 0-1-1 in Big Ten play, while the Golden Gophers improve to 7-2-1, 1-0-1 in conference play.
“We dug ourselves into a hole that we could not get out of this time,” Lori Walker, Ohio State head coach, said. “I feel that there is some execution of jobs that has to get sharper. We didn’t pack our toughness today and those are things we have to be responsible for moving forward.”
GOLDEN GOPHERS STRIKE FIRST
Minnesota took the lead in the fourth minute on a goal by Josee Stiever. The Golden Gophers’ Kellie McGahn played a cross in from the left side of the box that Haley Walker-Robinson tried to clear but Josee Stiever possessed the clearance attempt and finished from eight yards for her fourth goal of the season.
GELDERNICK COMES UP BIG IN RELIEF OF McVICKER
After Ohio State goalkeeper Jillian McVicker exited the game in the seventh minute with an injury, Megan Geldernick came up with a variety of big saves one-goal contest as the Buckeyes played into a stiff breeze the entire first 45. In the 21st minute, Stiever had a strike from the top of the box but Geldernick lunged to her right to make the stop.
Two minutes later, Sydney Squires broke free down the left wing and Geldernick came out to pick the ball off her foot to clear it wide. However, Squires was taken down in the box by a Buckeye defender only to miss the ensuing penalty kick as it remained a one-goal contest.
Squires again had an opportunity in the 31st minute, sneaking free to get off a shot from the right side of the box but Geldernick again was able to make the diving save on the shot headed toward the far post.
AGNEW JUST MISSES CHANCE AT EQUALIZER
Less than a minute after Geldernick stopped Squires attempt, Lindsay Agnew beat a pair of defenders to break free down the right wing but her shot from 12 yards just sailed over the crossbar.
WALKER-ROBINSON KEEPS IT A ONE-GOAL GAME IN THE 41st
After Geldernick had already gotten a piece of a shot by Golden Gopher substitute Maya Rajacich on the break, Rajacich tried to head home the rebound from the six-yard box but Walker-Robinson tracked back to head the ball off the line to keep it a 1-0 game at the half.
BUCKEYES WITH PAIR OF EARLY SECOND HALF OPPORTUNITIES
The Buckeyes earned multiple early second half corner kicks, the second falling to the foot of Morgan Wolcott at the top of the box, but Minnesota goalkeeper Tarah Hobbs ranged far to her right to deflect the shot from 18 yards wide in the 57th minute.
Wolcott was able to get a head on the ensuing corner and direct it toward Nichelle Prince inside the six-yard box but Prince’s volley flew high over the crossbar.
PRINCE WITH ANOTHER CHANCE
Five minutes later, Sarah Roberts threaded a through ball to Prince on the right wing but Hobbs dove to her right to make the save on Prince’s shot from 10 yards.
GOPHERS DOUBLE LEAD IN THE 71st
Simone Kolander increased the Minnesota lead to 2-0 against the run of play in the 71st minute. Julianna Gernes possessed on the break on the right wing and slipped a pass past a Buckeye defender to Kolander, who finished under Ohio State goalkeeper Devon Kerr, to make it a two-goal game.
HOBBS ABLE TO KEEP PRINCE FROM CUTTING LEAD IN HALF
On the ensuing kickoff, Arden Holden collected on the left wing and played a cross to Prince at the six-yard box but Hobbs ranged to her right again to deflect the volley wide left.
SQUIRES ADDS ANOTHER
Squires then capped the scoring in the 86th minute, hitting on the break from 15 yards out to make it a 3-0 contest.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Shots: Minnesota 17, Ohio State 10
Saves: Ohio State 5, Minnesota 5
Shots on Goal: Minnesota 8, Ohio State 5
Corner Kicks: Minnesota 9, Ohio State 4
UP NEXT
No. 7 Ohio State returns home to take on Nebraska at 7 p.m. Friday and Iowa at 1 p.m. Sunday.
