Senior goalie Greg Dutton guards the net during a game against Penn State March 1 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. OSU lost, 11-8. Credit: Courtesy of Ryan Robey / For The Lantern
Returning home to Columbus might be exactly what the Ohio State men’s lacrosse team needs.
Currently on a three-game losing streak, OSU (1-5, 0-0) is set to take on the Bellarmine Knights (4-2, 0-2) in the first of a three-game home stand inside Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium Friday night.
Last weekend, the Buckeyes traveled west to Colorado as they took on the No. 5 Denver Pioneers in a rematch of the 2013 ECAC tournament championship game.
Despite being tied with the Pioneers at the half, OSU struggled to score late in the game and walked away with the loss, 9-5, its fifth in six games this season.
OSU coach Nick Myers said his team has grown from each game, and for them, it’s about making adjustments in order to turn the recent losses into wins.
“Our record is what it is, we’ve come up short in some tough games and I think we have learned from some of those situations.” Myers said. “It’s staying the course, obviously cleaning up things that we feel like can be improved upon, developing some of our younger attack guys, and hopefully getting guys back in the lineup sooner rather than later.”
Louisville, Ky.-based Bellarmine is a team heading in the same direction as OSU. After starting the season 4-0, the Knights have struggled since entering conference play.
Following two close losses at the hands of Michigan and Air Force, Bellarmine dropped to 0-2 in the ECAC, but Myers said the team cannot be taken lightly.
“Right now, we are focused on Bellarmine,” Myers said. “It is specific to our conference, our goals, which are tied to qualifying for the conference tournament. Friday is an opportunity to take a step in the right direction.”
Senior defenseman Joe Meurer said OSU has to fight in order for it to be where it wants to be come the end of the season.
“Right now at this point of the season, we are fighting for our lives,” Meurer said. “Every game, we are going in with the mentality that it is going to be a battle. In our conference, every team has shown that they are capable of beating anyone.”
The Buckeyes on the season are averaging about 8.2 goals per game, a number that will need to go up Friday against a Bellarmine team that puts up 10.3 goals per game.
Offensively, the Buckeyes have had contributions from all over the field, including junior midfielder Turner Evans and junior attackman Reegan Comeault. Evans is currently leading the team with 10 assists and Comeault, who only scored five points last season, currently has 11 this season.
Game time is set for 7 p.m. Friday.
