Ohio State then-junior attackman Tre Leclaire (44) passes the ball during their match against Rutgers at Ohio Stadium on Mar. 31. Ohio State lost 6-14. Credit: Willow Mollenkopf | For The Lantern
For the fourth straight time in the past five seasons, Ohio State men’s lacrosse dispatched of Detroit Mercy Tuesday at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
Tied 3-3, sophomore attackman Jack Myers put the Buckeyes up for good late in the first quarter on a steal from senior attackman Tre Leclaire to lead No. 12 Ohio State (1-0) to a 23-9 win in the season opener against the Titans (1-1).
Leclaire finished with a game-high six goals, and Myers and junior attackman Jackson Reid each added four of their own to pile onto the Buckeye lead.
“It feels good. You get the chance to get out of the gates in front of your home crowd,” Ohio State head coach Nick Myers said. “We got better and I think that’s what you’re focused on more than anything.”
Ohio State jumped out to an early lead with a goal from Leclaire in the first minute of the game. Two more first quarter goals from Reid and junior midfielder Griffin Hughes had the Buckeyes up 3-0 and looking to roll.
However, three straight goals from Detroit Mercy knotted the game at 3-3 late in the first quarter. Scores came from three midfielders in junior Ryan Figueiras, freshman Ryan Birney and senior Matt Turner.
The steal from Leclaire in the Titans half that lead to the Myers goal was the turning point in the game.
“It sparked us a bit, those are hussle plays and plays that stick out in your mind,” Myers said.
The second quarter was all Buckeyes, as 11 unanswered goals put the game’s result out of question before halftime. Freshman midfielder Grant Mitchell scored his first of two goals in the game to join Myers, Leclaire and Reid in the 11-goal period.
Ohio State redshirt junior goalie Josh Kirson made seven saves on 12 shots on goal on the night.
“We have seven guys playing defense, it doesn’t work unless all seven guys are doing their job,” Kirson said. “It’s just about effort and toughness, the way we play and how hard we play.”
To open up the third quarter, freshman midfielder Connor Mitchell joined his brother Grant Mitchell in scoring the first goal of his collegiate career. Hughes went on to add two more goals for three on the night.
Myers said that getting game experience is the biggest thing for the younger players that are expected to play significant roles this season especially on defense.
After a goal to open the fourth quarter from sophomore midfielder TJ Hendricks, the Titans would go on to score the final four goals of the game.
Detroit Mercy had nine different goal scorers in the game, including redshirt freshman attackman Kyle Waters, who scored his sixth goal of the season. Sophomore midfielder Cam Kostus added a goal and two assists.
Ohio State junior attackman JT Bugliosi and sophomore attackman Zach Ludd also tallied goals in the third quarter on the night for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State will head to Boston, Massachusetts, to take on Boston University at noon Saturday.
