The Ohio State women’s lacrosse team huddles up before the Ohio State-Robert Morris game Feb. 20. Ohio State won 17-5. Credit: Zachary Rilley | For the Lantern
The Ohio State’s women’s lacrosse team enters Friday’s game at No. 14 Michigan with a lot of momentum after two close wins against Penn State and Louisville.
The Buckeyes (8-4, 1-1 Big Ten) are on the road to play the Wolverines (9-4, 1-2 Big Ten) Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Wolverines are on a three-game losing streak, but head coach Amy Bokker said the Buckeyes expect another rivalry challenge.
“It’s always fun to play the best but, I think historically speaking in that rivalry, it just makes it that much more exciting,” Bokker said. “Our players get really pumped about it and take so much pride in the university and wearing ‘The Ohio State’ across our chests.”
The Buckeyes pulled off a last-second 13-12 overtime win over Louisville on the road March 31 and a 12-11 win over Penn State March 26, which Bokker said shows the grit and toughness of the team.
Michigan graduate goalie Arielle Weissman will be in the cage for the Wolverines, holding a save percentage of .503. Weissman was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week March 23 after the Wolverines’ double-overtime win against Villanova March 20.
Sophomore goalie Regan Alexander, who has a save percentage of .455, will be the Buckeyes’ starter after recording eight saves against Louisville and 10 saves against Penn State, her second-most this season.
The Buckeyes faced the Wolverines twice last season when both teams were on a Big Ten-only schedule in which the Buckeyes went 2-0 against their rivals with one home game and one away.
The women’s lacrosse team will be playing for a gold Ohio-shaped pendant that represents a hard-fought victory and has the final score and date engraved on the back.
“That sense of pride is huge and it runs through our veins so getting the opportunity to play against the team up north, which is the biggest rivalry in the world, and being able to come out with a win is something super special,” graduate midfielder Lindsay Epstein said.
Epstein scored the game-winning goal in overtime during the game in Louisville with less than a second remaining on the clock. The goal was off an assist from junior attack Nicole Ferrara while the Buckeyes were at a player disadvantage due to a penalty.
Epstein said her game-winning score was a team effort. She credited her teammates for being able to stop a shot and transition down the field, all while down a player, and find the back of the net.
“You don’t stop until you hear the whistle,” Epstein said.
The game will start at 7:30 p.m. at Michigan’s U-M Lacrosse Stadium Friday and is available for streaming on the Big Ten Network on ESPN+
