Oct. 5, 2014
Minneapolis, Minn.
Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium
2OT: Ohio State 1 (5-7-1, 2-4-1 Big Ten), Minnesota (6-6-1, 3-3-1 Big Ten)
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Ohio State women’s soccer team earned a 1-1 draw at Minnesota Sunday afternoon at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. The tie moves the Buckeyes to 5-7-1, 2-4-1 in the Big Ten, while the Golden Gophers sit at 6-6-1, 3-3-1 in conference play.
“I’m very pleased with our effort and attacking presence,” Lori Walker, Ohio State head coach, said. “As the match went on, our commitment in the final third was outstanding. Both goalkeepers saved the game on multiple occasions. Some of the saves were clinical and it certainly was an exciting match.”
Minnesota took the lead in the 11th minute when Olivia Schultz finished a cross from the left wing from Haley Helverson for the 1-0 Golden Gopher advantage.
The Buckeyes then knotted it up in the 33rd minute when Ellyn Gruber flicked on a Nikki Walts corner and Alexis Degler blasted a left-footed strike that caromed off a Minnesota defender and just inside the right post to tie the game at 1-1.
Ohio State almost took the lead in the 40th minute when Michela Paradiso tracked down a through ball from Nichelle Prince but Paradiso’s floated shot from 10 yards on the right wing just sailed over the crossbar as the game went into the half in a 1-1 tie.
Ohio State held an 8-5 lead in shots, including 2-1 on goal, over the first 45 minutes.
The Buckeyes had another chance in the 54th minute when Ellyn Gruber gathered a loose ball in the box and drilled a shot from 12 yards but Minnesota goalkeeper Tarah Hobbs was able to deflect the shot just over the crossbar to keep it a 1-1 game.
Degler again threatened the Minnesota defense in the 74th minute, but her shot from 10 yards after she gathered a loose ball in the box narrowly missed over the crossbar.
Minnesota then had a late chance with a little more than a minute remaining Ashley Pafko was wide open in the middle of the box and one-timed a shot from eight yards off a cross but Geldernick was able to come up with a leaping save to send the game into overtime.
Through regulation, Ohio State posted a 14-13 lead in shots but the Golden Gophers held a 6-4 advantage in shots on goal.
Ohio State tallied a bunch of chances early in overtime, first when Gruber’s header just missed wide left in the 94th minute and then when Hobbs made back-to-back saves on a Prince breakaway to keep it a 1-1 game.
The Buckeyes outshot the Golden Gophers 8-1, including 6-1 on goal, through the 10 minutes of the first overtime but were unable to find the back of the net.
Neither team was able to get anything going in the second overtime as the contest ended in a 1-1 draw.
The Buckeyes tallied a season-high 23 shots to 17 for the Golden Gophers. Ohio State held a 10-6 advantage in shots on goal.
Geldernick finished with five saves in goal for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State hosts Maryland at 7 p.m. Saturday at Bert L. & Iris S. Wolstein Field at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
