Ohio State forward Yaw Amankwa (23) sends a ball past Maryland defender Chris Odoi-Atsem (28) during a game at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on Oct. 31, 2015. Credit: Lantern File Photo
The Ohio State men’s soccer team faced off against No. 24 Wisconsin in its last game of the regular season on Sunday in Madison, Wisconsin. There was a lot at stake for both teams, as the game would determine the final Big Ten standings and seeding in the Big Ten tournament.
In the end, the Badgers proved to be too much for the Buckeyes, defeating the Scarlet and Gray 2-1 in Madison.
Wisconsin applied a ton of pressure early on in the match, earning the majority of chances and forcing the Buckeyes to spend most of the time in their own defensive zone.
In the 16th minute, Wisconsin redshirt freshman defender Elan Koenig corralled a rebound off a save from OSU keeper Parker Siegfried and finished it off to put the Badgers up 1-0.
Wisconsin would add to its lead in the 44th minute, again on a rebound opportunity. This time, it was redshirt sophomore forward Isaac Schlenker who buried the ball after a save from Siegfried, extending the Badger lead to 2-0.
Wisconsin held a 15-3 shot advantage through the opening period, but the Buckeyes did not go quietly into the night.
Late in the second period, OSU senior forward Yaw Amankwa launched a shot from 30 yards out that was able to beat the Badger keeper and find the back of the net, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
The Buckeyes desperately battled back throughout the second stanza, outshooting the Badgers 12-4 in the period. However, they would be unable to find the equalizer, and the score remained at 2-1 as time expired.
Sophomore forward Abdi Mohamed did not play in the match. Senior forward Danny Jensen played 58 minutes in his return from injury after a five-game absence.
The Buckeyes finish the season with a 5-12-1 record (3-4-1 B1G).
The loss gives OSU a sixth seed in the Big Ten tournament, where they will rematch Wisconsin in Madison this Sunday, Nov. 6.
