Ohio State sings Carmen Ohio after the Ohio State-Wisconsin game on October 9. Ohio State losses 2-0. Credit: Gabe Haferman | Assistant Photo Editor
Although the Buckeyes generated 13 total shots with seven shots on goal, the Ohio State men’s soccer team was unable to find the net against a stout Wisconsin defense at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, falling to the Badgers 2-0.
The Buckeyes (4-6-1) were able to penetrate a Badgers (6-2-3) defense, which has already recorded seven shutouts this season, during the majority of the first half by setting the edge and attacking from the outside. This offensive strategy granted the Buckeyes multiple scoring chances from junior forward Channing Chasten and freshman midfielder Joakim Jahnsen, who hit a strike in the 33rd minute offthe post.
“[Wisconsin] plays with a back five and they really clog the center of the field, so the space against Wisconisn is out wide,” head coach Brian Maisonneuve said. “I thought in the first half we did some pretty good things and did exactly what we talked about, and they didn’t pose any problems that we didn’t see coming.”
Although Ohio State out-shot Wisconsin 6-5 in the first half, momentum shifted in the Badgers’ favor in the 38th minute when Wisconsin senior forward Henri Tophoven found a striking senior forward Andrew Akindele toward the middle of the field to give the Badgers a 1-0 lead.
After the Buckeyes continued to miss opportunities to tie the game in the second half, including multiple headers from redshirt senior forward Devyn Etling that went just wide of the net, Wisconsin ultimately sealed the deal in the 90th minute when junior midfielder Ignasi Marques found the net off a missed shot by Tophoven to expand the Badgers’ lead.
Etling, who recorded four shots all in the second half, said he and his team needed to capitalize on their several scoring chances tonight and take a more aggressive approach while striking the net.
“I just think we’re lacking that killer instinct right now, we need guys that have eyes on the goal,” Etling said. “We’re just not taking our chances well and that’s something we can definitely work on. When we get [to the goal], we just can’t think twice, we need to just take the shot.”
The game was a physical battle between the two Big Ten Rivals, as they combined for 21 fouls and five yellow cards — including a 19th-minute yellow card where Wisconsin senior defenderZach Klancnik seemed to deliver an elbow to Etling’s face, which temporarily knocked him out of the game.
Maisonneuve said that his players need to remain poised and refrain from letting their emotions overtake their game if they want to compete moving forward this season.
“The game of soccer is physical, so there’s no surprise or shock there,” Maisonneuve said. “But you have to compete with it and deal with it, you can’t get frustrated and get all over the refs. You have to be able to deal with it and move forward.”
With the Buckeyes yet to record a win in Big Ten play, Maisonneuve said his team will need to play each half with an equal amount of intensity and focus if they want to compete in a challenging conference.
“We need to play 90 minutes. I thought we played a good first half, and then the second half we were bad,” Maisonneuve said. “The Big Ten is a different beast. The focus, the commitment, the energy, the execution needs to be there in the Big Ten because nobody is going to hand you anything.”
The Buckeyes will look to earn their first conference victory Tuesday when they travel to Bloomington to face the Indiana Hoosiers (6-3-1).
