Senior defender Sage Gardener (5) takes a free kick during a match against Wright State Sept. 17 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. The teams tied, 1-1.
Credit: Shelby Lum / Photo editor
Ohio State men’s soccer lost to Dayton by a score of 3-1 Friday, putting the Buckeyes a 2-3-2 record on the season.
The game opened with the Buckeyes out possessing the Flyers and forcing their sophomore goalkeeper Chris Froschauer to make some diving stops.
OSU coach John Bluem said he was impressed with his team’s first half efforts.
“We started the game very well tonight,” Bluem said. “We had some very good chances in the first 20 minutes and unfortunately, we didn’t take one.”
In the 26th minute, Dayton struck as sophomore midfielder Maik Schoonderwoerd put a wide open header in the back of the net. Nine minutes later, Flyer freshman forward Rafael Gamboa buried a shot in goal. The Flyers went into the half with a 2-0 lead and a 9-6 advantage in shots.
OSU captain and senior defender Sage Gardner said the team’s reaction to the first goal hurt the team.
“We played really good soccer,” Gardner said. “Then they (got) one opportunity and it kind of deflated us. We need to do a better job of responding.”
The Flyers continued their attack quickly after half with a goal in the 48th minute by Schoonderwoerd, almost securing the game with a 3-0 lead.
The Buckeyes were able to put one goal on the board when Dayton defenders failed to clear a ball in the box. Freshman midfielder Henry Chancy was able to get a foot in and poke it past the goalkeeper in the 81st minute. It was Chancy’s first career goal.
OSU has scored six goals in seven games this season. Sophomore midfielder Zach Mason said that team needs to work in practice if it wants to score more goals.
“We just need to keep working in training and get back to the basics.” Mason said. “We’re lacking confidence with our finishing which, you know, is never good.”
Play was halted a few times late in the game as shoving matches broke out in the Dayton penalty box and along the Dayton bench, on two separate occasions. As a result, Dayton junior forward Greg Enstone and OSU sophomore defender Alex Bujenovic received yellow cards in the 86th minute.
Starting goalkeeper junior Alex Ivanov did not play because he received a red card in the previous match against Wright State.
The Buckeyes are scheduled to wrap up their streak of in-state matchups Tuesday on the road against No. 15 Akron at 7 p.m.
