Sitting on 199 wins in program history, win No. 200 proved elusive for No. 25-ranked Ohio State women’s soccer against the No. 24-ranked Dayton Flyers on Wednesday.
The crowd at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium — that could have witnessed OSU (5-3-0) history — was silenced in the 36th minute when Dayton sophomore forward Katrin Loo scored the first and only goal of the game. Junior goalkeeper Katherine Boone prevented any chance of an OSU comeback and preserved a 1-0 shutout win for the Flyers (7-1-0.)
“We weren’t the Ohio State Buckeyes tonight,” senior forward Paige Maxwell said after the game. “It was a disappointing loss, but something we kind of need right now.”
With just 20 minutes gone in the first half, OSU coach Lori Walker began to substitute members of the team’s starting lineup out of the game.
“There’s just an inconsistency and we’re waiting to figure who wants a regular starting spot,” Walker said of the early substitutions.
One substitution nearly paid off in the 32nd minute when junior midfielder Kendyl Reed, who came on for freshman midfielder Ellyn Gruber, served a cross that Maxwell headed just over Boone’s goal.
“Reed gave me a beautiful cross and I timed my run just perfectly,” Maxwell said. “In my head I said, ‘I got this. I got a goal.’ Unlucky, I guess.”
Maxwell took three of the Buckeyes’ four shots in the first half, however none were on target. For the game, OSU held a 12-11 shot advantage against the Flyers.
Four minutes later, Loo gave Dayton a 1-0 that it would take into half. Junior defender Alysha Mallon provided Loo with the service off a corner kick and helped give the Flyers their advantage.
“(Loo) just ran straight through the box untouched, basically,” said OSU goalkeeper Katie Baumgardner, who finished the game with two saves. “She got her head to it.”
Walker said that both she and her players were disappointed to give up another goal off a set piece, which has been a problem for the team throughout the season.
“That’s individual responsibility and it is a collective effort by a group of people to say ‘this isn’t going to happen,'” Walker said. “It is unacceptable at this point in the season.”
After the intermission, OSU continued to push for an equalizer.
Maxwell curled a right-footed shot toward Dayton’s goal in the 50th minute, but the attempt was corralled by Boone.
The Buckeyes threatened again in the 72nd minute when referee Sorin Stoica issued a yellow card caution to Dayton senior defender Emily Kenyon for obstruction and awarded a free kick from 25-yards out.
The ensuing shot, taken by freshman midfielder Kiiri Kuld was saved by Boone, who finished the night with six saves for the Flyers.
The Buckeyes continued to push forward in the final 10 minutes and, at times, left only two defenders on their back line.
OSU tallied five shots in the final seven minutes, including a last-second scramble in front of the Dayton goal as time expired. Boone denied each opportunity, though, and the Flyers held on to win.
“Hopefully (the loss) lights a firecracker under our tails,” Walker said. “We’ve got to recognize that … somebody has to step up and decide that we’re going to be an excellent team.”
The Buckeyes begin Big Ten conference play on Sunday at 2 p.m. against Minnesota. The game will be televised live on the Big Ten Network.
