Ohio State then-junior attack Molly Wood races up field against Penn State on April 12, 2016 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Credit: Courtesy of OSU Athletics
The Ohio State women’s lacrosse team held on to a close lead to defeat Connecticut Wednesday night 13-12 for the Buckeyes’ first win against the Huskies since 1999.
Connecticut sophomore midfielder Olivia Miles scored with fewer than two minutes left in the game to bring Ohio State’s lead to one, but the Buckeyes held off the rally to secure the win.
Ohio State (3-4) went on a 3-0 run early in the game and maintained the lead against Connecticut (4-4) for the remainder of the first half.
The Buckeyes held the Huskies to a seven-minute scoring drought until a late free-position goal by Connecticut freshman midfielder Sydney Watson brought the score to 6-5 before halftime.
Connecticut junior attacker Lexi Kennealy tied the game at 6-6 only 44 seconds into the second half. The Huskies inched ahead 7-6 following a goal by senior midfielder Kelsey Catalano.
Buckeyes freshman midfielder Lindsay Epstein brought Ohio State back ahead with under 25 minutes left in the game, but the Huskies responded with two goals of their own to regain their lead.
Redshirt senior attack Molly Wood scored a goal before junior midfielder Baley Parrott added back-to-back goals with under nine minutes left to give the Buckeyes a lead they would maintain until the end.
Parrott led Ohio State with three goals and six draw controls. Wood also finished with three goals and five draw controls. The Buckeyes tallied 18 draw controls total compared to the Huskies’ eight.
Ohio State held a one-shot advantage over Connecticut 29-28.
The Buckeyes begin Big Ten when they face Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, at noon Saturday.
