Lance “Connor” Senn, an 18-year-old freshman on the Ohio State soccer team, died Wednesday evening after he collapsed in the second half of a game against Akron.

Senn was attended to on the field by both teams’ medical staffs before being taken to Akron City Hospital.

He was pronounced dead at 11:50 p.m. The cause of death was a cardiac event.

Andy Geiger, Ohio State director of athletics, held a press conference yesterday.

“The sadness we feel today is indescribable,” Geiger said in a statement. “A marvelous human spirit has been snuffed out without explanation. Our thoughts and prayers are with Connor’s family, teammates and coaches.”

“This is a stunning and tragic event. To say the soccer community here is upset would be an understatement. They are an extremely close team with wonderful sense of family. The leadership of that program is extraordinary,” Geiger said.

Geiger got the chance to meet the soccer team at the house of John Bluem, OSU mens’ soccer coach.

“Connor was an unheralded walk-on, who battled his way to a starting spot because of his remarkable spirit,” Bluem said.

Geiger said student athletes go through a very rigorous pre-season training program and are watched carefully.

Senn was involved in a collision on Sept. 21 in a game against Creighton. He was taken out of the game after complaining of dizziness.

Senn played almost the entire game against Southwest Missouri State on Sept. 23, after he was examined by the medical staff and cleared for play. He had no ill-effects.

Geiger wanted to make it clear this was not a head injury.

“There is no indication it was related to that. It was not a head situation. It was a cardiac situation. We don’t know much more about it than that,” Geiger said.

This is the first OSU athlete who has died during competition.

“This is the first since I have been here. As far as we know he is the first,” Geiger said.

This weekend’s game against Wisconsin will either be postponed or canceled.

Senn is survived by his parents, Lance and Margaret Senn; his sister, Molly; and his brother, Henry.

Senn was from Granville, Ohio. He was a four-year letter-winner and starter at center midfield. Senn was an all-league and all-district team selection from 1998-2000, as well as the mid-state league player of the year and all-state honoree in 2000.