Senior midfielder Kyle Culbertson (3) defends Penn State junior midfielder Mason Klerks (8) during a game on Sept. 20. OSU and PSU tied 1-1.
Credit: Ed Momot / For The Lantern
After a win against in-state rival Dayton on Friday, the Ohio State men’s soccer team is preparing to conclude a three-game home stand against No. 24 Louisville.
The Buckeyes are scheduled to take on the Cardinals at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
OSU started off the season slow, dropping four of its first five matches, but the team has started to gain some confidence after playing two ranked teams — No. 11 Akron and No. 13 Penn State — to draws before picking up its second win of the season against the Flyers.
“It was a very difficult start to the season for us, one that we didn’t expect,” OSU coach John Bluem said. “So now that we’re finally getting some results, the guys are building some confidence and belief in themselves.”
Junior forward Yaw Amankwa agreed with Bluem, as he said he feels that the team will finally start to pick up momentum and add to the win column.
“We all talked about it, and we knew that once we got us a win it was going to give us the confidence to keep going,” Amankwa said. “The past two games we’ve been playing great. I think we’re going to continue winning.”
Bluem said the Cardinals are a good team, but stylistically they are different from the Buckeyes, which could present a challenge for his team.
A look at Louisville
Louisville holds a 4-2-3 overall record and 0-0-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The Cardinals played No. 22 North Carolina State to a draw on Friday night at home. The team has not lost in its last three matches.
Freshman forward Tate Schmitt leads the team, as well as the ACC, with six goals and two assists. Behind Schmitt, the team has strong balance, as senior midfielder Ben Strong, junior midfielders Andrew Brody and Daniel Johnson and sophomore midfielder/defender Tim Kubel have each found the back of the net twice in 2015.
What’s next?
Following Tuesday’s action, the Buckeyes are scheduled to get back on the road to face Michigan State at 1 p.m. on Sunday in East Lansing, Michigan.
