Olympic Sports Recap: Men’s and Women’s Hockey Split Series, Women’s Soccer Sweeps Away Weekend, Field Hockey Falters in East Lansing

No. 14 Men’s Hockey Falls First, Bounces Back In Series against No. 11 UConn

Following a sweep of Northern Michigan to start the season, Ohio State split its next two games with the Huskies. 

No. 11 UConn (2-2) defeated No. 14 Ohio State (3-1) 3-2 Friday at the Toscano Family Ice Forum in Storrs, Conn. Huskies sophomore forward Mike Murtagh opened the game with a shot and a goal just over eight minutes in off a cross-ice pass from freshman forward Alexandre Blais. 

However, junior forward Max Montes quickly answered with a goal to even the score at one apiece with just under two minutes to play in the first period. Two second period goals by UConn quickly pushed the game out of reach for Ohio State. A power play goal by junior forward Riley Thompson cut the Huskies lead to one, but it was too late as UConn’s stout defense sealed its 3-2 victory. UConn senior goaltender Tyler Muszelik saved 32 shots and Ohio State keeper Freshman forward Jake Karabela assisted both of Ohio State’s goals. 

On Saturday, Ohio State dominated UConn 4-2 at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, Conn. on the back of two goals in the final five minutes of the game. 

After the Huskies struck first with a power play goal by junior forward Joey Muldowney, the Buckeyes responded with scores by Montes and senior forward Jake Dunlap. 

UConn answered as senior forward Ryan Tattle netted the puck with just six minutes to play. Although it was all Buckeyes from there. A solo goal by Thompson just 17 seconds later followed by an empty-netter by sophomore forward James Hong clinched Ohio State’s 4-2 win. 

Ohio State will return to Columbus to take on Sacred Heart Friday 6:30 p.m. and Saturday at 5 p.m. at Value City Arena. 

No. 2 Women’s Hockey Splits With No. 3 Minnesota

Following a dominant five game stretch including the opening game of the series against Minnesota, Ohio State dropped its first game of the year in game two. 

No. 2 Ohio State (5-1, 3-1 Western Collegiate Hockey Association) opened its weekend with a 4-1 thrashing of No. 3 Minnesota (7-1, 3-1 WCHA) thanks to four different Buckeye goalscorers. 

The Buckeyes started off hot with a power play goal by freshman forward Kassidy Carmichael just 2:42 into the game. Ohio State followed that up with two more goals in the second period — a score from junior forward Joy Dunne assisted by senior defender Sara Swiderski and a penalty shot netted by freshman forward Hilda Svensson. The Buckeyes pair of second period goals put the game out of reach for the Golden Gophers, as an answer by senior forward Madison Kaiser with six minutes left in the final period wasn’t enough to push Minnesota back into the game. Junior forward Jocelyn Amos netted an empty netter to seal with victory with just over a minute remaining. 

In Ohio State and Minnesota’s clash Saturday, the Golden Gophers dominated the Buckeyes 6-3 thanks to an offensive flurry in the opening period. 

Minnesota took a 3-0 advantage just 13 minutes into the first period and never gave up its lead. Although the Buckeyes’ Dunne responded in the waning seconds of the period to cut the lead to two, the Golden Gophers answered each of  Ohio State’s last three goals, sealing a 6-3 victory. 

Ohio State will return to the ice Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m. for a series against St. Cloud State (4-4, 1-3-1 WCHA) at the OSU Ice Rink. 

No. 25 Women’s Soccer Starts Road Trip 2-0 

The Buckeyes clinched two of three games of Ohio State’s road trip to end the season.

A hot start featuring two goals in the first minute and a half led Ohio State past Rutgers (4-7-4, 2-7-1 Big Ten) 4-2 Friday at Yurcak Field in Piscataway, N.J.

Sophomore midfielder opened the scoring with a right-footed shot just 1:12 into the game, before junior forward Amanda Schlueter netted a goal just 27 seconds later. The two goals scored in the opening 1:39 marked Ohio State’s quickest start to reaching two goals in a game. Sophomore forward Jadin Bonham scored the first of her two goals just 17 minutes later, extending the Buckeyes advantage to three in the 19th minute. 

Rutgers freshman midfielder Kennedi Cotter cut Ohio State’s lead to two 20 minutes into the second half, however, Bonham responded four minutes later to extend the lead back to three. A goal from Scarlet Knights redshirt sophomore forward redshirt sophomore Reilly McGlinn in the 86th minute wasn’t enough to take down Ohio State as the Buckeyes secured a 4-2 victory. 

In Ohio State’s second game of the weekend, the Buckeyes defeated Maryland (6-11, 2-8 Big Ten) 3-1 at Ludwig Field in College Park, Md. Terrapins redshirt junior forward Kelsey Smith opened the game with a goal in the 29th minute, though that was the extent of Maryland’s success as the second half was all Buckeyes. 

Ohio State junior midfielder Elle Britt scored an unassisted goal just two minutes into the second half to tie the match. Then after nearly 30 minutes deadlocked at 1, Ohio State’s star Schlueter took over. She netted a pair of goals in the 81st minute in the span of 36 seconds, sealing the Terps fate. 

With the wins over Rutgers and Maryland, Ohio State secured road victories in back-to-back Big Ten games for the first time since 2018. 

Ohio State (8-2-6, 4-1-5 Big Ten) culminates its regular season against Penn State (8-6-3, 4-4-2, Big Ten) Friday at 1 p.m. at Jeffrey Field in University Park, Pa. 

No. 18 Field Hockey Blows Two Goal Lead Michigan State

The Buckeyes four game win-streak is no more. 

Michigan State (5-9, 1-4 Big Ten) upset No. 18 Ohio State (7-6, 3-2 Big Ten) 4-3 Sunday in East Lansing on the heels of a furious comeback that saw the Spartans score four straight goals. 

The Buckeyes jumped out to a 2-0 lead behind first half goals from freshman forward Raleigh Kerst in the fifth minute and senior back Katie Fichtner 15 minutes later. 

Though, as the Spartans held Ohio State scoreless for the following 35 minutes

Graduate forward Makenna Webster added her 17th goal of the season late in the fourth quarter, but Ohio State’s late push fell short as Michigan State clinched a 4-3 victory. 

Despite outshooting the Spartans 24-8 and earning 12 penalty corners, the Buckeyes couldn’t capitalize down the stretch.

Next up, Ohio State travels to Bloomington to take on Indiana (7-7, 2-3 Big Ten) Friday at 3 p.m.