The No. 23 Ohio State field hockey team huddles together during its 4-2 loss against No. 3 Maryland (7-0) on Sept. 16. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor
The Buckeyes field hockey team fell in two away games to top-25 Big Ten opponents over the weekend.
No. 23 Ohio State (3-5, 0-3 Big Ten) has dropped five straight after losing to No. 19 Rutgers (6-4, 2-1 Big Ten) 2-0 Friday and No. 6 Penn State (8-1, 3-0 Big Ten) 2-0 Sunday.
Rutgers
Scarlet Knights redshirt junior back Iris Langejans scored 2:43 into the game on a rebound from a save.
Buckeyes junior goalkeeper Abby Danson had a career-high 10 saves in the game, and five of them came in the first quarter on seven shots faced. Ohio State only had one shot in the quarter.
After a scoreless second quarter, Rutgers struck again with a goal from the top of the circle by sophomore midfielder Lucy Bannatyne, assisted by graduate midfielder Marique Dieudonne.
The Buckeyes finished the game with five shots and were unable to score on Rutgers redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Sophia Howard, who saved all five of Ohio State’s shots.
Penn State
The first half of the game ended without a goal from either team after Penn State got nine shots off and Ohio State had four. Danson had four saves on all four shots on goal from the Nittany Lions.
Penn State senior midfielder Mackenzie Allessie broke the tie, scoring an unassisted goal with 3:18 left in the third quarter for her sixth goal of the season.
The Buckeyes pulled Danson from the goal with 5:32 remaining in the fourth quarter but were unable to score. The Nittany Lions added another goal on the empty net by senior forward Jemma Punch with 2:04 left in the game.
The Buckeyes are back at home next week to host Michigan State Friday and Kent State Sunday.
