OSU sophomore forward Christian Soldat (13) battles for position during a game against Indiana Oct. 12. at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. OSU lost 2-1.  Credit: Ed Momot / For The Lantern

OSU sophomore forward Christian Soldat (13) battles for position during a game against Indiana Oct. 12. at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. OSU lost 2-1.
Credit: Ed Momot / For The Lantern

The up-and-down season for the Ohio State men’s soccer team continued Saturday afternoon.

The Buckeyes (5-5-3, 3-2-0) snapped a two-game losing streak with a win at Wisconsin (2-9-2, 0-5-0) by a final score of 2-0.

OSU clamped down on the Badgers defensively, only allowing Wisconsin to get one shot on target, which enabled redshirt-senior goalkeeper Alex Ivanov to pick up his fifth shutout of the year — the second in which the opponent managed one shot or fewer.

Freshman forward Marcus McCrary returned home to Madison, Wis., to tally three points in the win.

McCrary found sophomore forward Christian Soldat early in the 35th minute on a crossing pass that Soldat put in the net with a header. It was Soldat’s first goal of the season and second for OSU.

The Buckeyes held that narrow lead throughout most of the remainder of the contest, until McCrary used his speed to get ahead of the Badger defense and score OSU’s second goal to put the game away.

McCrary and Soldat — who accounted for all of OSU’s points — were the only substitutions used by coach John Bluem in the game.

OSU had the advantage of rest coming into the contest as the Buckeyes had five days off since their previous game, while Wisconsin had played Loyola Chicago only three days before.

The Buckeyes are now 2-1-1 this season when having four full days of rest or more. Bluem said earlier in the week that he was glad to see the extended break because he felt the team has played its best when given more time to prepare.

The win moved OSU up to third place in the Big Ten standings. The Buckeyes sit one point behind second-place Michigan State and three points behind conference leader Penn State.

OSU is set to begin a three-game homestand that will include the final home games of the regular season, scheduled to start with a nonconference game against Bowling Green on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.