OSU then-freshman forward Nichelle Prince (left) makes a play on the ball in a game against Pittsburgh at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium Aug. 28, 2013. OSU won 2-0.
Credit: Lantern file photo
The Ohio State women’s soccer team split its weekend matchups with a loss to No. 19 Illinois and a win against Northwestern.
The Buckeyes (5-6-0, 2-3-0) snapped a three-game losing streak against the Wildcats Sunday as they needed just two saves from redshirt-freshman goalkeeper Megan Geldernick to seal the victory.
OSU kicked off the scoring when freshman forward Sammy Edwards scored off a cross from sophomore forward Nichelle Prince in the 23rd minute. Prince recorded her first assist of the season in her second game since returning from injury.
OSU took the 1-0 lead heading into the half while holding a 7-4 lead in shots.
The Wildcats tied things up in the 63rd minute on a far post shot from freshman forward Michelle Manning. The Buckeyes regained the lead shortly after in the 66th minute when senior forward Kayla Varner lofted a shot over the goalkeeper and into the net.
Sophomore midfielder Alexis Degler capped the scoring in the 88th minute after putting back her own rebound. The Buckeyes went on to win, 3-1.
The Buckeyes began their two-game home stand with a 4-1 loss against the Fighting Illini on Friday evening.
Scoring began in the sixth minute when Illinois junior defender Reagan Robishaw connected off a cross from the right wing. The lead doubled in the 14th minute when a free kick from junior midfielder Nicole Breece was deflected off an OSU defender and then off the hands of Geldernick.
OSU cut the deficit in half in the 40th minute with a header by junior midfielder Michela Paradiso. The Buckeyes finished the half trailing 2-1 in goals and 6-4 in shots.
After a goal kick from sophomore goalkeeper Claire Wheatley breezed past the OSU defense, Illinois increased its lead to two again in the second half when redshirt-senior forward Jannelle Flaws scored a breakaway goal in the 59th minute.
OSU faced another problem as junior defender Marisa Wolf was issued a red card and ejected in the 71st minute for pulling an Illinois player down by her hair. The penalty forced the Buckeyes to play with 10 players on the field for the rest of the game. Wolf had been shown a yellow card in the 69th minute before the incident.
The Fighting Illini finished the scoring in the 83rd minute when a long ball deflected off an OSU defender and into an empty net.
OSU’s next game is scheduled for Friday against the No. 13 Wisconsin Badgers. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. in Madison, Wis. The Buckeyes are then set to play Minnesota on Sunday at 2 p.m. in Minneapolis.
