Sept. 7, 2014
Columbus, Ohio
Bert L. & Iris S. Wolstein Field at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium
Ohio State 3 (3-3-0), George Mason 0 (1-5-0)
Attendance: 675
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State women’s soccer team shut out George Mason, 3-0, Sunday afternoon at Bert L. & Iris S. Wolstein Field at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. With the win, the Buckeyes improve to 3-3-0 on the year while the Patriots fall to 1-5-0.
“I think we came out a little flat, especially at halftime, but we got a result,” Lori Walker, Ohio State head coach, said. “We were up 2-0 and stopped paying attention to the little details. It’s not just about winning the game. It’s about us continuing to get better and we have to play at a higher level regardless of what the score is.”
The Buckeyes threatened first in the 28th minute when Sammy Edwards possessed in the midfield before finding Lindsay Agnew with a through ball at the top of the box but Agnew’s left-footed strike from 10 yards narrowly missed wide left.
Ohio State broke through two minutes later when Nikki Walts found Taylor Schissler with a through ball before the Buckeye sophomore dribbled around a George Mason defender and finished from 10 yards for her first-career goal.
Schissler then doubled her tally on an eight-yard strike in the 35th minute after a beautiful feed from Ellyn Gruber from the end line to put the Buckeyes up 2-0.
The Buckeyes took the two-goal lead into the half after recording a 10-3 lead in shots, including 5-1 on goal, and a 2-1 lead in corner kicks over the first 45 minutes.
Ohio State almost pushed the lead to 3-0 in the 60th minute but Michela Paradiso’s strike from 20 yards drilled the left post and was cleared away to keep it a two-goal game.
Schissler then had another chance in the 73rd minute but her shot from the top of the box sailed just over the crossbar as the score remained 2-0.
Walts then capped the victory with a finish from 10 yards on the left wing, her first-career goal, off a nice through ball from Alexis Degler for the 3-0 Buckeye win.
For the game, The Buckeyes posted a 15-5 advantage in shots, including 7-1 on goal. Ohio State goalkeeper Megan Geldernick picked up her second clean sheet of the season in the win.
Ohio State opens Big Ten play with a 7 p.m. match at Indiana Friday before traveling to Purdue for a 3 p.m. match on BTN Sunday.
