The Ohio State Men’s Soccer team stands for the National Anthem before their night match against Michigan on Oct. 2. Ohio State lost 0-2. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
Coming off a 7-11-1 season, the Ohio State men’s soccer team prepares to start playing again Tuesday after a 471-day hiatus, the longest offseason ever for the team.
Head coach Brian Maisonneuve is starting his third season with the team, which he said he believes will show signs of the program’s progress. Despite this, he said he knows this season will not look normal because of adjustments due to COVID-19.
“There is going to be changes, and there is going to be players in and out for various reasons,” Maisonneuve said. “We’re going to grow one day at a time and get better every time we step on the field and be thankful for the opportunity to train and compete.”
Ohio State will kick off its season against Maisonneuve’s alma mater, Indiana, Feb. 23 at a neutral site in Westfield, Indiana. The Buckeyes lost to Indiana last season 5-1 in the regular season and 2-0 in the Big Ten Tournament.
As part of the Big Ten’s plan to limit travel, the Buckeyes will only face conference opponents. The schedule consists of five home and five road games. Additionally, testing and contact tracing will be implemented to prevent players from getting sick.
“If we want to play, we have to make sure that health and safety is No. 1, and the guys that are aware of it,” Maisonneuve said. “They are willing to do whatever they need to do to get back on the field.”
The Buckeyes normally start their season in late August. However, due to COVID-19, the Big Ten moved the season to the spring.
Maisonneuve noted that the weather conditions will have an effect on the games, but he is not afraid of competing in cold temperatures.
“From a playing standpoint, we’re going to face some challenges in terms of dealing with the weather,” Maisonneuve said. “But again, that’s the game of soccer. You play outside on either turf or grass, and you deal with those conditions.”
Overall, the team is trying to look past the uncertainties and focus on winning games. The Buckeyes have their eyes set on the Big Ten Championship with plenty of redemption matchups along the way.
“I have high expectations for the outcome of the season,” redshirt senior defender Samuel Buzzas said. “We had the same expectations before our season got pushed to the spring last fall.”
Buzzas started all 19 matches for the Buckeyes last season and played 90 minutes or more in every game except one.
Maisonneuve said that he is relying on more experienced players, such as Buzzas, to be an example for their younger teammates during this unconventional season.
“We have some good senior leaders that I think have done a really nice job over the past 12 months of keeping the group motivated and keeping them together, and it says a lot about them as leaders of this group,” Maisonneuve said.
While Maisonneuve is counting on these players to lead, they are relying on him to keep them dialed in.
“As a player, just the mentality and the focus that coach is putting upon us that he wants us to do well, no matter what is thrown at us,” senior defender Joshua Jackson-Ketchup said. “Coach’s drive and his want is being instilled into us, which is what’s driving all of us because we don’t want to let coach down.”
Jackson-Ketchup noted larger goals such as winning the Big Ten and making the NCAA tournament, but he also mentioned more team specific goals for this season.
“We want to make sure that individually, we are here for each other,” Jackson-Ketchup said. “We don’t want to have any kind of bad apples rotting the team, and I don’t see that anywhere.”
Maisonneuve is counting on players like Jackson-Ketchup to continue contributing like past seasons, but he also has high hopes for some new faces.
Ten new players will be looking to make an impact for the Buckeyes Tuesday as they make their first appearances for Ohio State.
“I really enjoy the roster that we put together for the spring, and I know the guys are hungry and ready to get after it,” Maisonneuve said. “So, in terms of what it’s going to look like, we’re going to take one game at a time, but we’re really excited about the opportunity we have this season.”
