Ohio State sophomore, Talani Barnett (4), controls the ball on Oct. 6, 2019 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Ohio State lost to Penn State 2-3. Credit: Gretchen Rudolph | Lantern File Photo
After a streak of draws, Ohio State won 2-1 over Illinois Sunday and is looking to keep the momentum alive against Indiana Thursday.
Junior forward Kayla Fischer and senior defender Izzy Rodriguez put the Buckeyes (3-1-3) on top against the Fighting Illini. Redshirt sophomore defender Kendra Pasquale of Illinois struck first, yet Fischer followed up with the equalizer soon after. Four minutes later, Rodriguez found the net for the win and her first goal of the season.
“It felt really good, especially after the last couple of games, being able to win the game and come back from them scoring on us first, which was what we struggled in,” junior defender Talani Barnett said.
Indiana (4-3) is coming off a 1-0 win over Wisconsin, in which freshman forward Anna Bennett scored for the Hoosiers in the 12th minute.
Last season, Indiana beat Ohio State 1-0 off a goal from then-freshman midfielder Alaina Kalin.
Senior midfielder Melanie Forbes was the Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week earlier in the season — an award she won alongside Ohio State sophomore forward Emma Sears. Forbes has scored three goals this season, including an overtime goal in the Hoosiers’ win over Rutgers.
Forbes was not the only Hoosier to receive Big Ten recognition that week as senior goalkeeper Bethany Kopel was named the Goalie of the Week for making back-to-back shutouts against Rutgers and Iowa.
“Defensively, we’re trying to work on being tight and compact,” Barnett said. “Communicating with each other so that when they use the ball we’re saying get tight right away and we don’t let them go right through us because they’re really good on the outside.”
Ohio State has only two home games left of the season, as COVID-19 shortened their season to just 11 games. With the Big Ten tournament approaching in April, the Buckeyes hope to improve their chances with a win over Indiana.
The Buckeyes take on the Hoosiers at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium at 2 p.m. Thursday. The game will be broadcast on BTN+.
